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.
12 minutes ago, hppygr8ful said:
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.
hppy
Sometimes the intention has nothing to do with changing the mind of the person choosing not to vaccinate. Sometimes the purpose is to simply counter dangerous thinking rather than let it stand as if it's scientifically sound, reasonable during a pandemic or without dangerous consequences when lives are at stake. I understand that some of these folks aren't going to respond to my style by deciding they need more science and less opinion...but some who aren't as ideologically committed may realize, maybe for the first time, that most of the vaccine hesitancy is based in little more than contrived doubt and distrust. Or maybe they'll decide that they don't want to share doubt based reasons to go unvaccinated in a nursing forum during a pandemic for fear of feeling bullied as well as feeling concerned about safe and effective vaccines.
This is the first time that I've lived through the first wave a pandemic and watched an otherwise well educated segment of the population simultaneously fight against control of the disease while supporting antidemocratic political ideology that threatens my republic. Are we supposed to be careful about messaging in times of peril (both individual and constitutional) or just speak the truth?
Even if your employer does not have a COVID-19 prevention program, if you are unvaccinated or otherwise at-risk, you can help protect yourself by following the steps listed below:
Identify opportunities to get vaccinated. Ask your employer about opportunities for paid leave, if necessary, to get vaccinated and recover from any side effects.
Properly wear a face covering over your nose and mouth. Face coverings are simple barriers worn over the face, nose and chin. They work to help prevent your respiratory droplets or large particles from reaching others. If they are of high enough quality, they also provide a measure of protection to the people wearing them. CDC provides general guidance on masks. If you are working outdoors you may opt not to wear face coverings in many circumstances; however, you should be supported in safely continuing face covering use if you choose, especially if you work closely with other people.
Stay far enough away from other people so that you are not breathing in particles produced by them – generally at least 6 feet (about 2 arm lengths), although this approach by itself is not a guarantee that you will avoid infection, especially in enclosed or poorly ventilated spaces. Ask your employer about possible telework and flexible schedule options at your workplace, and take advantage of such policies if possible. Perform work tasks, hold meetings, and take breaks outdoors when possible.
Participate in any training offered by your employer/building manager to learn how rooms are ventilated effectively and notify the building manager if you see vents that are clogged, dirty, or blocked by furniture or equipment.
Practice good personal hygiene and wash your hands often. Always cover your mouth and nose with a tissue, or the inside of your elbow, when you cough or sneeze, and do not spit. Monitor your health daily and be alert for COVID-19 symptoms (e.g., fever, cough, or shortness of breath). See CDC's Personal & Social Activities Guidance for Unvaccinated People.
COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective at keeping you from getting COVID-19. If you are not yet fully vaccinated, or are otherwise at risk, optimum protection is provided by using multiple layers of other interventions that prevent exposure and infection.
SNF nurses previously reported lack of sufficient PPE. In choosing a SNF facility, observe the environment: Are hand sanitizers seen thought the facility, are nurses wearing own cloth, paper or N95 masks? Any sign of barrier aprons or gowns being worn for COVID + patients just discharged from hospital with trachs, etc. Ask about infection control program- weekly COVID PCR testing should occur for those unvaccinated --- how many tests is facility doing on a weekly basis ( compare to # beds facility has + # staff to consider amount vaccinated?
Thank you for being the only person that at least asked why I don't want to get it, instead of just telling me to get it. First, I don't feel comfortable putting something in my body that we don't know much about. It's a different type of vaccine in the way that it's made and how it works in your body. Since its new, we don't have enough information about the long term affects of it. I've even heard of it affecting a person's fertility and I don't have kids yet, but I want to soon. I've heard people are still getting sick WITH the vaccine. I've heard about women experiencing blood clots. I felt the vaccine was rushed and came out too soon without doing additional tests. I don't even think its FDA approved. I don't keep up with the news or read up on the vaccine so I admit I am ignorant in the topic but I know for sure that it is new and there isn't enough research on the long term effects. I am worried about how it will affect me in the future. I am torn because I care about the patients and people are making it seem like I'm selfish and don't care about them, which is not true, but you guys have to understand that when I go home, I am still in my body and if I quit the job, im still in my body for the rest of my life. That scares me
We put all sorts of crap on or into our bodies every day. I wouldn't call you selfish for not taking it but, at this point, I would call you ignorant or in the wrong job for a germaphobe:) The vaccine is an incredible step for mankind. And we aren't talking about a vaccine for acne. Covid, at his point, is an uncurable disease that will only linger as unvaccinated people expose everyone to more dangerous mutants. Worldwide pandemic is an unusual killer that requires unusual answers. Would you take it if you were guaranteed that a body part might fall off? If the answer is yes then think of Covid as a destroyer of brain, heart and respiratory tissue that may or may not ever be repaired. No one wants to take something new but we did it to stay intact because health care people were subjected to high viral loads at work. At this point, I don't think you have a valid case against it...whether you want to work with patients or not.
OP, I just wanted to say congrats on getting a job offer. ? I hope you are able to stay safe and keep your patients safe as well. From an infection prevention standpoint, we discouraged people from bringing their own hand sanitizers, etc., in the hospital where I worked in IP because we provided all products and knew that they worked. Also there are sometimes undesirable interactions between products like soaps and sanitizers, so it's best to use what works and what is provided in the facility.
In my area of Tennessee, cases are going up again. Not just from the statistics released by our health departments, but verified by people I know who work in healthcare in the area - they are seeing another surge. At this point, it's very much a disease of the unvaccinated.
I've even heard of it affecting a person's fertility
Affecting it how? We’ve only been giving the vaccine for six months, so it would be mathematically impossible for someone to say they were fertile before being vaccinated and now aren’t.
I was mistaken thinking that things were getting better, I am not following the news only our health department website to see how covid has been doing and it seemed it was getting better.
You weren't mistaken. It was getting better as people were getting vaccinated. Thanks to the awful polarization and misinformation (disinformation IMO) not enough people did to achieve herd immunity. Now there is a variant that is more transmissable. The explosion of cases is most apparent in red states. My blue county is very highly vaccinated and we have only seen a small uptick...like 12 people per day instead of zero. We averaged 300 per day at the beginning of the year. Again, the reason this is not going away is because of anti-vaxxers
After reading all the replies, I feel discouraged and sad, I have a knot in my throat because I feel like crying. I haven't been able to sleep because I keep thinking about if I'm making the right move in working there without the vaccine and torn between if I should get it or not. It is my body and I am not 100% comfortable about putting something in my body thats new. I was excited to finally start working, and was thanking God for it. I was mistaken thinking that things were getting better, I am not following the news only our health department website to see how covid has been doing and it seemed it was getting better. My fiance that works in a hospital told me they had ZERO covid patients and all departments were back to normal. It wasn't until I was around other people outside of my circle that basically made me feel crappy about it. Thanks for your replies.
I also suggest you watch the evening news each evening. Not Fox or CNN, just the national news on CBS, NBC or ABC
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.
The pandemic is not slowing down globally, in fact both cases and deaths are increasing again. I’ve included the following link to statistics from ECDC which is the European equivalent of the CDC. The reason I’ve linked it is that the graphs included illustrate in a clear way how this pandemic has ebbed and flowed since its beginning in March 2020.
(The number of cases during the first wave are low compared to the number of deaths recorded for that time period. We didn’t have the capacity to test people on the same scale as we have had for the later part of the pandemic).
The pandemic will not truly be over in the U.S. until it slows down globally. As long as we have widespread high levels of transmission, the virus will keep on evolving and new variants will develop.
Vaccines are the most important weapon in our orificenal in the fight against the pandemic.
Since its new, we don't have enough information about the long term affects of it. I've even heard of it affecting a person's fertility and I don't have kids yet, but I want to soon. I've heard people are still getting sick WITH the vaccine. I've heard about women experiencing blood clots. I felt the vaccine was rushed and came out too soon without doing additional tests. I don't even think its FDA approved. I don't keep up with the news or read up on the vaccine so I admit I am ignorant in the topic but I know for sure that it is new and there isn't enough research on the long term effects.
The part about the vaccine affecting women’s fertility is not true.
It’s debunked disinformation but unfortunately it has been widely disseminated.
Here’s a link that discusses this vaccine myth and several other:
The part about blood clots is true but needs further explaining and context. It’s been established as a probable but extremely rare side effect from some viral vector covid-19 vaccines. Please note that Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are not viral vector vaccines, they are mRNA vaccines.
I’ll include a link from the European Medicines Agency (like your FDA) about one of the vaccines approved in Europe and many parts of the world (but not in the U.S.).
The thing is that a Covid-19 infection can also cause various coagulopathies and thrombotic events (like the clots you are worried about) and the risk from a Covid infection is much higher than that of a vaccine. A Covid-19 infection can also cause a host of other complications and of course the ultimate complication, death.
What do you mean when you say that people are still getting sick with the vaccine? As I’m sure you know you can’t catch a Covid infection from a vaccine. That’s just impossible. But if you mean that some people will still be infected by another Covid-19 positive individual despite having been vaccinated, that’s true.
The phase 3 trials showed that the vaccines do not protect 100% against getting an infection, but they offer very good protection against serious illness and death. New data is being gathered and analyzed on a daily basis, and from what we’re seeing so far this is still the case.
Cases are increasing even in parts of the world that are starting to reach a high level of vaccine coverage, but daily deaths are lower in these parts than they were with the same number of cases six months ago. In many of the countries with low vaccine coverage, both cases and deaths are increasing. The surges we’re seeing now are likely connected to the more transmissible Delta variant. This is why it is crucial to get as many people vaccinated, as quickly as possible. The virus will just keep mutating and we need to slow this down.
Worldwide we’ve so far administered well over 3.5 BILLION Covid vaccine doses. We have a huge amount of data available. You write that you worry about long term effects of the vaccines. Vaccine side effects don’t take years to manifest. The time is measured in days, weeks or a couple of months. The reported, suspected side effects will need to be analyzed to determine if there is actually a causal link, so that can add on a couple of weeks or a few months. I don’t know of a single vaccine that has taken several years to reveal their side effects. Can anyone here name one?
At least seven unvaccinated nurses in my facility are out this week with covid. I don't know how many total unvaccinated nurses there are where I work but I think it's pretty low as most of us are unscathed.
They made their decision for a variety of reasons and took their chances. I think they all will be okay.
One coworker that was hesitant at first is finally getting it this week because she wants to travel to see family and got spooked when someone close to her got sick.
Good luck to everyone that took the chance to be vaccinated or not. Time will be the great revealer.
I was hesitant to get the Vaccine and wanted to wait till a cpl months down the road. BUT the moment my Residents started dying I didn’t hesitate at all! THEY are my reason for being there. That was the oath I took, to take care of them. I had COVID before it was even a thing known in the US. I got it in December when I was at Disney. I was sick for 6 weeks and was wearing a mask cuz everyone thought we all had a flu if some sort. I was on ABT for 2 weeks and steroids. Didn’t help. I was tired had no energy, coughing ugh the coughing was awful, my chest was rattling and I had pneumonia. I didn’t get my full lung capacity till 6 months later. So I didn’t hesitate and be selfish. This was the line of work I chose and I knew vaccines were and will always be apart of it. Please get vaccinated, I cannot beg you enough. I did have a reaction after my 1st Pfizer dose, just slept the whole day. 2nd dose nothing, I was OK. I tell everyone take the next day off and stay hydrated the day before and day after.
I’ve worked in 3 different states now dealing with COVID patients in the hospital settings and to be completely honest, getting the vaccine vs getting COVID- get the vaccine! Was I hesitant at first, sure but am so glad I did. Not only am I protecting myself but am protecting my family and my patients. You also need to consider that you might get COVID, be asymptomatic and unknowingly pass it on to an unvaccinated patient that your caring for. Is that fair to the patients who are older, have co-morbidities and are already sick? Have seen this happen already. This is a novel virus and we cannot compare it to influenza or anything else out there. The safest thing is getting the vaccine.
toomuchbaloney
16,033 Posts
Sometimes the intention has nothing to do with changing the mind of the person choosing not to vaccinate. Sometimes the purpose is to simply counter dangerous thinking rather than let it stand as if it's scientifically sound, reasonable during a pandemic or without dangerous consequences when lives are at stake. I understand that some of these folks aren't going to respond to my style by deciding they need more science and less opinion...but some who aren't as ideologically committed may realize, maybe for the first time, that most of the vaccine hesitancy is based in little more than contrived doubt and distrust. Or maybe they'll decide that they don't want to share doubt based reasons to go unvaccinated in a nursing forum during a pandemic for fear of feeling bullied as well as feeling concerned about safe and effective vaccines.
This is the first time that I've lived through the first wave a pandemic and watched an otherwise well educated segment of the population simultaneously fight against control of the disease while supporting antidemocratic political ideology that threatens my republic. Are we supposed to be careful about messaging in times of peril (both individual and constitutional) or just speak the truth?
What's the protocol?