So I wanted to come on here because I've been thinking about something and it has kinda taken away my excitement.
So I haven't worked in 2 years and I haven't really had a hands-on, bedside care nursing experience since I graduated nursing school 5 years ago. So last year I didn't work at all because of the pandemic and since I don't have any real nursing experience, I didn't want to start during a pandemic, I didn't feel I was ready for that. I was really scared. So now that (I thought) the pandemic is slowing down I wanted to start looking for a job, I applied for a CNA position at a SNF I used to work at, at least to start working again. Surprisingly they are looking for an LPN for part time. I was so excited because I thought it would be a lot better now since everything is slowing down. However, they asked me if I am vaccinated and I said no. I had set my mind to not get the vaccine but now that I got this job I feel bad if I'm the only person that doesn't have the vaccine. I don't want to get anyone sick and I would feel bad if I'm the only one unvaccinated because I don't want people to not trust me. I don't know how bad it is at SNFs but I feel a little stressed now, and I was honestly excited to FINALLY get an LPN job after 5 years of graduating. I've also been hearing about this new variant virus, which sucks because I thought we were close to the end of the pandemic. I've not been keeping up with the news because honestly I get a lot of anxiety over the virus and it discourages me from looking for a job and I really want to get back to work. I don't participate in risky behavior like going out and not wearing a mask. I didn't get sick at all last year and I pretty much just stay home.
My question is: Are there any nurses out there that are working and are not vaccinated?
Also, what can I do to be safe at work? Is there anything I should bring with me, like disinfecting wipes, spray...
Also, curious question, did anyone NOT get sick last year?
Specializes in NICU, PICU, Transport, L&D, Hospice.
16 hours ago, PrettyNerd said:
I feel like if they were in desperate need for a warm body, they would have it all over job search websites. I applied for one position and ended up being offered another. To answer your question, no, I do not drink soda, alcohol, do drugs, or smoke. Never have, never will. I try to eat as healthy as I can and exercise 3-5/week for the last 15 years. Never been hospitalized, never been diagnosed with health illness and I would like to keep it like that, thats why I'm paranoid about the virus. Yes, I will be looking to see what else I can do from home. I was just excited to get hands on experience but I thought the pandemic was slowing down.
The pandemic is speeding up again because there are too many people who are unvaccinated out of unfounded concern about the vaccines. You can choose differently. The vaccines are safe and effective.
What information are you consuming that makes you feel concerned?
Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).
19 hours ago, PrettyNerd said:
............ but I thought the pandemic was slowing down.
I won't give you grief about not getting vaccinated as I feel this is a deeply personal choice. I have nothing against vaccination per se but felt the vaccine was not rigourously tested and more time was needed to vet the effectiveness of these vaccines. Then I educated myself. This is not something we do for ourselves only but for the greater good of society at large. All members of my immediate family have been vaccinated. My husband because he would have to leave his Federal job without it, myself because I am a nurse and have seen the horror of this illness up close and personal and my son got the vaccine when it was announced that college aged recipient's would be entered into a lottery to win full tuition to a state university, He would have gotten it anyway but maybe sooner due to this incentive which has about 1:1,000,000 odds of winning.
While pandemic is slowing somewhat, there will be pockets of resurgence for some time to come and there is talk of the possibility of boosters being required. Legal precedent has shown that yes your employer can require the vaccine so might as well bite the bullet and get it done. It will be very hard to gain any long term meaningful employment as a nurse without it.
As far as not getting sick goes it matters not that you dodged a bullet as many more in the form of varients are coming from the same gun and we are likely to see hot spots for the next several years.
I'm actually surprised your SNF employer didn't require you to be vaccinated as the nursing home population was one of the hardest hit and we may never know the exact death toll.
Perhaps if you could enlighten us or me by PM so as not to get bashed against the rocks of intolerance I could share with you my own experience.
In the meantime, good luck, stay safe and march on.
Specializes in NICU, PICU, Transport, L&D, Hospice.
Rocks of intolerance are necessary to slow the erosion of critical thought and reasoning targeted by the dangerous fear mongering of a few spreaders of covid disinformation in social media outlets.
Specializes in Oncology (Prior: Ortho-Neuro, Metabolic Surgery).
11 hours ago, klone said:
This is incorrect. Vaccinated individuals can still get Covid, and if they get it, they can still spread it to others.
Generally yes, most breakthrough infections are still infectious. However, my understanding is the Covid vaccines are different. The viral load is much lower for Covid after vaccination and often below the threshold for transmission. I first heard this on televised news shows about a month ago, but I found a couple of websites.
I am doing everything I can to protect my patients including getting the Coronavirus vaccination. I can't be the one to pass on a virus to them, it would be devestating to me. I also have asthma, am over 50 and will be working directly in infectious disease as an NP.
Rocks of intolerance are necessary to slow the erosion of critical thought and reasoning targeted by the dangerous fear mongering of a few spreaders of covid disinformation in social media outlets.
This part drives me nuts.
So, my husband a I both work in healthcare. He also travels a lot (not patient care but in the hospitals as a service engineer)….of course MD asked us both if we got it at our PCP visits. Now, doc knows I’m a nurse, worked at the same hospital he rounded at fir the first 8 years of my nursing career…sounded upset that I got the vaccine, noted the type and number of doses.
My husband went in a month later, was told that since he got the vaccine he would die in 2 years but there’s an “antidote”…WOW! 81 mg aspirin daily, 5000IU vit D3 daily, and …best part…drink three cups pine needle tea daily…..um, no thanks. Then he had my husband sign something saying he wouldn’t vaccinate my daughter…that’s great. I’m still her mom, she getting once her age group is approved and whatever he signed is bogus and would not hold up on court. He felt coerced into signing it. Later that day we purchased a new home build with the address on “falling pine needle lane”…almost fell off my chair when I saw the address.
Hubby went in the following month. “I hope you’re drinking your pine needle tea”. Hubby, “I just figured I’d wait until it came out in K-cup”….doc was speechless.
The whole world is going bat s**t crazy over COVID. I just hope sooner rather than later we can leave all the craziness behind and with the next strange pandemic everyone does a better job of controlling the spread and having proper PPE than hiding the evidence and waiting months to report it as a potential problem and by then…well, this crap happens and we don’t have a clue as to handle it without destroying everything and everyone in its path.
Specializes in NICU, PICU, Transport, L&D, Hospice.
23 minutes ago, NurseSpeedy said:
This part drives me nuts.
So, my husband a I both work in healthcare. He also travels a lot (not patient care but in the hospitals as a service engineer)….of course MD asked us both if we got it at our PCP visits. Now, doc knows I’m a nurse, worked at the same hospital he rounded at fir the first 8 years of my nursing career…sounded upset that I got the vaccine, noted the type and number of doses.
My husband went in a month later, was told that since he got the vaccine he would die in 2 years but there’s an “antidote”…WOW! 81 mg aspirin daily, 5000IU vit D3 daily, and …best part…drink three cups pine needle tea daily…..um, no thanks. Then he had my husband sign something saying he wouldn’t vaccinate my daughter…that’s great. I’m still her mom, she getting once her age group is approved and whatever he signed is bogus and would not hold up on court. He felt coerced into signing it. Later that day we purchased a new home build with the address on “falling pine needle lane”…almost fell off my chair when I saw the address.
Hubby went in the following month. “I hope you’re drinking your pine needle tea”. Hubby, “I just figured I’d wait until it came out in K-cup”….doc was speechless.
The whole world is going bat s**t crazy over COVID. I just hope sooner rather than later we can leave all the craziness behind and with the next strange pandemic everyone does a better job of controlling the spread and having proper PPE than hiding the evidence and waiting months to report it as a potential problem and by then…well, this crap happens and we don’t have a clue as to handle it without destroying everything and everyone in its path.
My wife's nephew called today to ask about coming up to go moose hunting. We had a nice talk about doing a trip up the Yukon and hunting some beautiful lands near one of the villages. Everything was great until I asked him if he was vaccinated. That's kind of an issue when visiting remote Alaska. Off road villages aren't like typical rural USA.
That's when everything changed. He said no and he didn't intend to. I said OK and changed the subject. He circled back. I listened and answered his question about my research and changed the subject. He circled back and was certain that I needed to so more research. I reminded him that he went to art and design school and has an advanced degree in the arts while my education and degrees are in the sciences and I have specific personal professional experience in the subject matter. I asked him to stop questioning my ability to research and understand the science simply because he disagrees. He believes that covid numbers are inflated, the pandemic was hyped by media and the pandemic is over.
He ended up hanging up on me.
I have no idea why he was so triggered by being asked if he was vaccinated. I think maybe he's not going to come hunting after all.
Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).
On 7/17/2021 at 12:05 PM, toomuchbaloney said:
Rocks of intolerance are necessary to slow the erosion of critical thought and reasoning targeted by the dangerous fear mongering of a few spreaders of covid disinformation in social media outlets.
It's been my experience that you cannot change someone's mind by shaming or using bully tactics. In order for communication to cross ideological lines there must be bothe senders and receivers. It is the sender's responsibility to present the information in a receivable way.
toomuchbaloney
16,033 Posts
The pandemic is speeding up again because there are too many people who are unvaccinated out of unfounded concern about the vaccines. You can choose differently. The vaccines are safe and effective.
What information are you consuming that makes you feel concerned?