Flu Shot ??

MB37 · Oct 24, 2008

I got my first flu shot ever last week - I'm a new nurse and haven't worked in health care before. I didn't have any reaction whatsoever, just as I haven't with any other vaccine in my life. I've never had a bad strain of influenza either, so far as I know, but again I haven't worked in health care yet. I just figure I should do what I can to protect myself, my hours, and my patients. I'm very pro-vaccine.

HappyPediRN · Oct 24, 2008

Nope. Never have and never will with any vaccinations. Do you know who is one of the most major financial backers of vaccinations is? Ted Turner. Do you know who believes we need to curb population growth and reduce the current population to 20% total of what it is now (not BY 20%, TO 20%)? Ted Turner. Do you know who won a national award for his ideas and theories for population reduction? Ted Turner. That's all the risk vs. benefit I need...and for what it's worth, I've never had the flu. I realize my opinion may be inflammatory. This is a personal decision and everyone must make a choice they feel is best for them.

Ilithya · Oct 24, 2008

I got the flu shot yesterday. My facility provides them for free, so really its a win win.

RN1982 · Oct 24, 2008

I got mine.

MisMatch, LPN · Oct 24, 2008

Interesting thread - I debate this issue a lot this time of year. At 52 years old, I have never had the flu, nor have I ever gotten the flu vaccine. I hesitate messing with success. I've only been in healthcare for the past 3 years and am currently a nursing student so I realize my risk is higher. Prior to that, I was home raising kids, so my only exposure was what the kids brought home from school:lol2:

The jury is still out on this one!

HonestRN · Oct 24, 2008

I had the flu once and it was absolutely wicked so yes I did get the shot. No adverse reactions yet except for a sore arm for a day.

Journey_On, BSN, RN · Oct 24, 2008

Yes, I will be getting mine this year on campus. I have gotten the vaccine twice in my life so far.

The only reactions I have gotten are mild symptoms (chills and a slight fever) - I'd rather get those than the actual flu.

tencat · Oct 24, 2008

Had the flu twice: once as a kid and once as an adult. Both times I was sicker than snot....Ugh. I always get a flu shot and drag my family in as well for shots/nasal vaccine.

Sabby_NC · Oct 25, 2008

have not had the flu since 1976 and do not get the flu vaccine.

i did receive it only once in my life time since living in the usa and it landed me in bed sick as a dog with a reaction so no way jose :lol2:

akanini, MSN, RN · Oct 25, 2008

I got mine at work yesterday! Yay!

Thornbird · Oct 25, 2008

I've had mine. I've given about 400 in the past two weeks and have about that number to do next week alone. The clinics I am doing are worksite clinics sponsored by and paid for by employers.

There are far too many misconceptions that keep people from getting flu vaccine. First and foremost, most people who think they have had the flu have had some other virus, not influenza. Influenza still results in thousands of deaths in the US, most of them children, senior citizens and those who are immune compromised.

It is not usually the flu that kills, it's complications of the flu. If you've seen babies and small children die from complications of the flu (I have), you would never want to see a single child take that chance. These very young ones get the flu from adults who are out and about in the worldn get exposed and bring it home. Often the adults, since they have fully developed immune systems, either don't get it or have a mild case of the disease that kills their child, grandchild, neice, nephew or neighbor. For all those parents who worry about thimerosol, a thimerosol free vaccine is available for children.

We are nurses, we are responsible to protect our patients, including protecting them from our own contagious diseases. Like other viral illnesses, the flu is contagious before the carrier has symptoms. Taking sick time won't protect your patients. We are responsible for knowing facts, not hype or superstition, to pass on to our patients and also to friends and family. Nurses are supposed to be educators.

Although in recent years, there have been problems with matching the exact strain and with the virus mutating during the season, people who got the vaccine did generally get milder cases. Having flu vaccine one year does not in any way help your immunity to any flu virus the following year.

If anyone wants to "decrease the population" , they have only to do away with vaccines. Vaccines are one of the big reasons why our society has flourished. They are the biggest reason that parents who have a healthy child expect that child to live to adulthood. Not so long ago, parents could expect that at least one of their children would succumb to a childhood illness or worse. When I started in nursing there were still people in iron lungs. I have cared for patients with permanent brain damage due to viral encephalopathy triggered by measles and chicken pox. Death and disability are far more likely from not getting vaccinated than from vaccines.

Sorry for the rant :) I just hate when ignorance and superstition rear their ugly heads and people die because of it.

tryingtohaveitall · Oct 25, 2008

Last year I had an interesting case study in my family. My 6 yo niece who hadn't received any flu vaccine got a terrible case of influenza. I was pretty worried about her because she was so lethargic. My 4 yo nephew had received the flu mist. They were travelling so they were sleeping together in a bed while she was sick. He was fine, never missed a beat. My BIL and sister were both miserably ill. My BIL had received the mismatched flu shot, my sister nothing. Convinced me of the effectiveness of the flu mist.

My kids' pediatrician and her DH who is a community health MD say that the flu mist provides better and longer immunity because it is able to do a viral shift to better match up with the strain to which you're exposed.

Unfortunately, I didn't get the memo from my hospital that they were actually giving the mist this year, until after I'd received my shot. Grrr. Next year I'll absolutely be getting the mist. 4 of my 5 children have already received it this year.

A few years ago we had a very severe strain, I saw a formerly healthy 15 yo boy die from influenza. Very scary.