British Columbia to require health-care workers get flu shot

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B.C. first province to require health-care workers get flu shot

The Canadian Press August 23, 2012

VICTORIA-British Columbia has become the first province [in Canada] to implement a policy requiring health-care workers to get a flu shot or wear a mask to protect patients.

Provincial health officer Dr. Perry Kendall says the measure is being implemented this season for staff at publicly funded facilities including long-term care homes because less than half of health-care workers get vaccinated.

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Specializes in Trauma, ER, ICU, CCU, PACU, GI, Cardiology, OR.

Enlightening~

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Apparently nurse in B.C. were not consulted ahead of time.

. . .Representatives of the BC Nurses Union sit down with the Health Employers Association today to air concerns over a newly proposed flu shot policy.The province's health officer announced last week that B.C. would become the first province in Canada to require health-care workers to either get the flu shot or wear masks when treating patients during flu season.

Union spokeswoman Margaret Dhillon says the policy is troubling and nurses were not consulted before the change was announced.

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I don't care.. Give me the shot. I have had the flu twice in my life. Both times I wanted to die.. Now I make sure I get the vaccine EVERY year.. Unless you have a contraindication you should get vaccinated or you should wear a mask. I don't think that is asking for to much.

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Flu shot for nurses should be voluntary, head of B.C. nurses' union says

WENDY STUECK

VANCOUVER-The Globe and Mail

Published Sunday, Sep. 02 2012, 8:06 PM EDT

As president of the British Columbia Nurses' Union, Debra McPherson is the public face of a labour group that represents about 32,000 nurses and health-care workers across the province.

Currently, she is part of a team that is negotiating with the Health Employers Association of B.C. for a contract to replace one that expired March 31, 2012. She's also spoken out about a recent announcement that health-care workers who come into contact with patients during flu season will be required to get a flu shot or wear a mask. . . .

In the past, we've been very co-operative around the flu shot. We have consistently over the years recommended to our members that they avail themselves of the shot. And even run a clinic in our own office. It's not that we don't support the initiative, but we have always maintained it should be voluntary. . . . .

more at: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/flu-shot-for-nurses-should-be-voluntary-head-of-bc-nurses-union-says/article4515539/

tiphat.gif Shiloh

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Specializes in Trauma, ER, ICU, CCU, PACU, GI, Cardiology, OR.

And the beat goes on....tiphat.gif Aloha~

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