Mandated Flu vaccine?

Nurses COVID

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Hi- Just received a blanket email yesterday that my hospital in VA is requiring ALL STAFF involved in patient care to get the flu vaccine this year. (incl nurses, physicians, clinical aides etc) I always get the vaccine voluntarily but feels wrong that this can be mandated. I still intend to get it. Is this legal? I remember something similar involving a group of NY Nurses some time back.:uhoh3:

Specializes in ER.
Both Flu and Pertussis were made mandatory for us last year and from now on. There was no mask option for us. Several people at our institution were fired, which was hard on morale, but probably reduced employee sick days and potentially saved patient lives.

Perussis/hepatitis/measles...those vaccines don't change year by year. They have been tested by time for safety and efficacy. I'm not arguing that we shouldn't have flu vaccine, but that we should have a choice. I don't want to choose between my livelihood and the shot. In Canada the government runs the hospitals, so it wouldn't amount to just getting another job, it would mean leaving nursing.

So how is that handled?

We're supposed to go to an allergist. Get the shot there. Allow ourselves to be injected with half the dose. Then if we don't die (or have a "bad" reaction, whatever that means), we get the other half. Lather, rinse, repeat again next year. And the year after that. And after that. Because we might just be "sensitive" instead of "allergic." Oh, and this is on our own dime. And by the way, isn't the place that you want to go into anaphylaxis at a doctor's office? I mean, losing an airway where the people to save you are an MD that hasn't seen the inside of a hospital (much less a code cart) since residency and a bunch of MAs? But I think that if you die they'll give you a waiver for next year.:uhoh3: Perhaps they'd like me to down a bottle of the antibiotic I'm allergic to and bathe in chlorhexidine while stuffing latex gloves in all of my orifices. And I could sit in an unfinished chair made of the wood that gives me a ridiculous rash when I'm near it. After all, since they seem to think that allergies are so inconsequential, why not throw all of mine at me?

Ironically, if I gave a flu shot to someone that said they were allergic? How well do you think THAT would go over?

Haven't decided yet what I'm going to do. I'm hoping that if I procrastinate long enough it will fix itself like when NY tried to make the H1N1 mandatory and supplies ran out. Or at least someone else will have gone into employee health and caused a ruckus so I'm not the first troublemaker that dare care more about my own health than their ability to claim 100% compliance.

Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.

merged like threads re mandatory flu vaccine into pandemic flu forum forum.

What is your hospital's policy on clinical staff getting the flu shot? At my hospital, if nurses/CNAs/OT/PT/ST don't get the flu shot, we are required to wear a mask all day, every day, until March. The mask must be worn at all times - in the halls, in the patient's rooms, while charting. Always. Can only come off in the break room. Anyone with patient contact must either get the flu shot or wear a mask - even the unit secretary! The exception? Doctors. Of course. Can you imagine telling THEM they have to either get the shot or wear a mask? Laughable.

I got the flu shot because I hate the masks - they make me hot and claustrophobic and create sores behind my ears after a while (I hate the days I get the patients on CP), but many people on my floor did not get the shot because in past years they got really sick after getting it or they don't believe in vaccinations. If you get the flu shot, they put a blue plastic thing on your badge so everyone knows you are "safe"

Patients and family members are completely weirded out by it - they think the employee is sick or that someone on the floor has an airborne disease (I have been asked more than once, by fearful visitors, if there is a patient with TB or something). Also, our older patients who are HOH have a hard time understanding staff when they speak with their faces covered. Hell, sometimes I have a hard time understanding staff, especially my coworkers with accents - I never knew how much of a lip reader I am. Also, the mask muffles sounds.

It just seems a bit. . .extreme. And the fact that doctors walk around all day, in and out of patient's rooms, with no mask and they do not have to get the flu shot and do not have to answer whether or not they did get it just seems discriminatory. What are your thoughts?

Specializes in CRNA, Finally retired.

Has anyone at your institution ever heard of science? Unless it is a custom fitted mask, its next to useless. This is petty punutiveness.

Im still on the fence about requirimg flu shots, which is based on rationality. Thete are already seversl older threadd

on this subject.

Similar administrative bs in my facility. Get a flu shot or wear a mask.

The restrictions are different, the mask is required when you are 6 feet from a patient.

This year a TDAP is ALSO required! I can prove recent tetorifice and diphtheria immunity, but need pertussis.

TOOOO bad, "it's only offered as a combined vaccine". So.. who cares if your arm is going to ache for days.... just do as we say.

As far as requiring doctors to comply... they are not employees so the facility cannot require it.

Makes me work just a little bit harder to get out of the hospital setting.

Specializes in Health care.

Yes, it just seems discriminatory. But flu or virus don't see who are doctor. So doctors should wear mask or have to get the flu for their own protection. We create discrimination, but all are equal to nature.

Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.

i heard at my facility it's flu shot or laid off... i really wonder about the legality of that threat, though so it may just have been a rumor. The only thing I saw was the shot or mask rule. I'll sit back and watch this play out!

Specializes in Med/Surg/Tele/SNF-LTC/Supervisory.

I can't get the flu shot d/t a mild egg allergy. Even though the CDC said it's safe to do so now, I'm holding off. If it were undeniably safe for me to get it, I'd get it. I had the flu this past March and was ill for over one week. Severe respiratory symptoms (I have asthma too), fevers, vomiting, leading to dehydration and eventually had to go to ED for IV fluids. I DO NOT want to go through that again.

I do believe that if you are able to get it, do so. Those who have gotten sick after getting the shot will probably have a less intense case of the flu. Also, remember that if you get the flu shot too early this yr, it might not be working come spring.

As far as forcing workers to get it.. I'm totally opposed and I think the administration who refuse the shot should have to wear the same protective masks as well. And for Doctors to be excluded is complete b.s.! Guess their status makes them immune?? HA

HOWEVER: If we are taking extra measures to keep our patients safe (can't use the regular masks though) we should do what we can... even if it requires wearing PPE. :twocents:

We did masks last year but this year it's a shot or suspension until you get a shot or the season is over. Medical and religious exceptions allowed. I don't know if it applies to the doctors or not.

Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

This has been discussed a gazillion times......hospital will continue to behave badly while there is such a surplus of nurses who need jobs.

The pandemic flu forum has a ton of discussions

https://allnurses.com/pandemic-flu-forum/

Just get the shot sheesh.....I am always amazed at the amount of artificial stress that folks create for themselves.....and seriously, a sore arm for days? A little dramatic? lol

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