Do lpns give vaccinations?

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Hello, I am not an healthcare worker, but I have a few questions about vaccinations and nursing. I know cnas don't give vaccinations, but are lpns required/expected to give immunizations in an average job? I've heard that most nursing homes don't have their lpns give vaccinations. Would this be true for hospital lpns? Does anybody know of a job that doesn't require lpns giving vaccines? I'd like to go to school to either be a cna or lpn in the near future, but I would refuse to give anybody a vaccine. I can't really find a clear answer to this anywhere, so feedback would be appreciated. Thanks.

Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.

Which brings us full circle back to the OP.

OP, are you saying that if a physician orders a vaccine, and the patient WANTS the vaccine, that you will refuse to administer it?

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Specializes in Ambulatory Care-Family Medicine.
It's on the aisles here at least in the commercial pharmacies. And you can buy it on Amazon.

I've never seen it on the aisle around here but do know which pharmacies carry it (we keep a list at work for patients that ask for plan b).

Interesting that you could buy it on Amazon. I've never thought of that. You would definitely need to pay for overnight shipping at least [emoji6]

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You don't give vaccines in most hospital jobs, long term care, unless working mother-baby.

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Specializes in Short Term/Skilled.
You don't give vaccines in most hospital jobs, long term care, unless working mother-baby.

Not true. Flu shots are offered during flu season to those who can tolerate it, not to mention the pneumonia and shingles vax.

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Specializes in Emergency, Telemetry, Transplant.
Not true. Flu shots are offered during flu season to those who can tolerate it, not to mention the pneumonia and shingles vax.

Exactly...I gave more vaccines 6 months on the floor than the rest of my nursing career. Not opposed to vaccines, but glad to be back in the ER! (Sorry, the latter is a different thread)

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Specializes in Psych, Corrections, Med-Surg, Ambulatory.
Although not exactly on point to the thread, I am reminded of one of our pharmacists who has religious beliefs against abortion. He will not dispense a script for Plan B insofar as he believes it is an abortifacient. We have another pharmacist dispense the script. The state Board of Pharmacy has explicitly ruled it is ethical for a pharmacist to refuse to dispense these scripts based on their religious belief.

His religious beliefs are one thing. But you'd think a pharmacist would have a clearer understanding of what a particular drug is or isn't.

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Specializes in HH, Peds, Rehab, Clinical.

New account, your ONLY post (you haven't even bothered to respond to those kind enough to give you their time and thoughts), but I'll bite. Choose a different line of work. Something tells me you will "refuse" to do more than just this task when it's part of your potential scope of practice.

Hello, I am not an healthcare worker, but I have a few questions about vaccinations and nursing. I know cnas don't give vaccinations, but are lpns required/expected to give immunizations in an average job? I've heard that most nursing homes don't have their lpns give vaccinations. Would this be true for hospital lpns? Does anybody know of a job that doesn't require lpns giving vaccines? I'd like to go to school to either be a cna or lpn in the near future, but I would refuse to give anybody a vaccine. I can't really find a clear answer to this anywhere, so feedback would be appreciated. Thanks.
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Specializes in HH, Peds, Rehab, Clinical.

False. TONS of flu vax are given to people after they are admitted. Same is true of LTC--lots of flu and pnuemo vax given each year.

You don't give vaccines in most hospital jobs, long term care, unless working mother-baby.
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Specializes in Reproductive & Public Health.
Although not exactly on point to the thread, I am reminded of one of our pharmacists who has religious beliefs against abortion. He will not dispense a script for Plan B insofar as he believes it is an abortifacient. We have another pharmacist dispense the script. The state Board of Pharmacy has explicitly ruled it is ethical for a pharmacist to refuse to dispense these scripts based on their religious belief.

I disagree with the decision of the Pharmacy board. I think it is unethical to restrict access to potentially life-altering medication due to some religious belief. The *only* way it is ok is if there is another pharmacist available to provide the drug, with no extra burden on the patient. It is NOT okay to direct them to the other pharmacy down the street.

I feel the same way about catholic health system restricting access to family planning services, and for risking the lives and health of women by creating unnecessary delays in treatment while an "ethics" committee deliberates on whether or not a the women who PPROMed at 23 weeks is septic enough to allow the physician to carry out an urgent therapeutic abortion, because the fetus still has a heart beat. Or restrict staff physicians from discussing and providing full contraceptive services that might protect women from the harms of closely spaced and unplanned pregnancies. Women actually die and suffer grave harm because of these so-called "religious rights," especially because catholic systems are often the only option in a given area. Immoral, unethical, and Catholic leadership should be ashamed.

These things are wrong. They are immoral. No one would be talking about "religious freedom" if the health care monopoly was run by, say Jehovah's Witnesses instead of the Catholic Church. Would we allow them to restrict access to blood products and convene "ethics" committees to decide if someone is sufficiently exsanguinated to allow a blood transfusion? Would we allow a Christian Scientist hospital to tell a patient with meningitis that antibiotics violate their religious belief in the healing power of prayer?

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Specializes in Reproductive & Public Health.
I'd like to go to school to either be a cna or lpn in the near future, but I would refuse to give anybody a vaccine. I can't really find a clear answer to this anywhere, so feedback would be appreciated. Thanks.

Hi Naomifain! If you are still reading this thread, I would love to engage in an actual conversation with you about this issue. I would genuinely be interested in hearing your point of view and what concerns you have. I really hope you are still reading.

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In my state, LPNs mainly work in a clinic setting and not hospitals so yes one would be giving vaccines! Nurses aides do not unless of course you are working in a home care area for a company who has nurses who delegate to the caregivers to provide medications in the home. Then it's possible. Again in my state, when LPNs were still used, they basically did everything the RN dos except give certain IV cardiac like meds. And in many nursing homes... It's entirely possible the LPN is the only nurse in the building!! You can be sure the director of nursing is not going to get out of bed at 2am and come in to administer the immunization for you!

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Specializes in Allergy/ENT, Occ Health, LTC/Skilled.
Although not exactly on point to the thread, I am reminded of one of our pharmacists who has religious beliefs against abortion. He will not dispense a script for Plan B insofar as he believes it is an abortifacient. We have another pharmacist dispense the script. The state Board of Pharmacy has explicitly ruled it is ethical for a pharmacist to refuse to dispense these scripts based on their religious belief.

That's so insane. I have my beliefs and values but in healthcare those have no place in the care I give my patients. I think people who do not vaccinate, deny women's rights, and push their beliefs on our country are ignorant. But you better believe when I take care of patients with those beliefs they get the best care I can give and I would never dream to refuse to do something that would help them or something that is completely legal if it was something I felt was against my beliefs. Its sad others can't do the same.

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