Flu shot this year

[kenpochic]

is anyone getting the new flu shot this year. its a combined seasonal flu plus H1N1 flu shot. some people arent getting it cause the H1N1 flu shot was kinda rush. im on the fence about it. I'm starting NS in a week and a half. how important is it to have a flu shot since we do spend a lot of time in the hospital?

[ShantheRN, BSN, RN]

You may not have a choice in the matter. If a clinical site requires it, you have to get it (unless there's an allergy or religious reason behind it.)

Don't be skeered of H1N1...if they'd known about it in time last year and put it in the regular flu shot, nobody would've batted an eye about it. The flu shot is several strains of what the experts believe will be the dominant ones of the upcoming flu season. H1N1 just happens to be one of them.

Do a search on "flu shot" or "mandatory immunizations" on these boards and you should get roughly 9 kabillion hits

And yes, last year I got both shots in October. I got the flu in January. I didn't bother getting swabbed to confirm strain because I work in a peds hospital - I was exposed to everything at some point. Absolutely miserable....but only for about a week. I'd avoided the flu for 25 years. It was just my time lol My temp peaked at about 102 - just think of how much worse it would've been if I hadn't gotten the shots.

[talaxandra]

I'm from Australia, where we're coming to the end of flu season. I have the flu shot every April, but didn't quite manage to this year and ended up (for the first time in my life) with the flu - I was off work for eight days and felt really dreadful. I had the flu shot (including H1N1) a week after I recovered, because there's more than one strain about and having flu once doesn't mean I'm not at risk again.

A couple of things to think about - first, can you afford to miss out on a week or more of clinicals/school? Second, the annual flu vaccination is based on prevalent flu strains, which means the vaccination every year is freshly created, to specifically target the viruses that are most prevalent, most contagious, and with the highest level of harm. The only difference this year is that the H1N1 strain is included in this dose. Finally, almost every health care provider in my hospital (and, to the best of my knowedge, state) has been vaccinated this flu season. I'm not aware of anyone having reactions beyond localised redness and tenderness, and the odd low grade fever.

[happy2learn]

I got the H1N1 shot last year because my school offered it for free. Didn't have any reaction.

Since I volunteer at a hospital, I am required to get a flu shot. They give it out in October to ALL employees and volunteers. Just too much of a risk, especially being in the ED. Plenty of people hacking and coughing and they don't all cover up their face when they do it. Then all those germs just floating in the air. Yum.

I have no desire to catch the flu, so stab away!

[llg, PhD, RN]

It will be mandatory at my hospital again this year -- for all staff and all students.

It doesn't bother me as I get one every year anyway, which is part of the reason I have 8 weeks of sick time saved up should I ever need it for a serious illness or injury.

[That Guy, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

Never got one til nursing school, now required to get it.

Also never got the flu until I was required to get the shot.

[RPN_2012]

Seasonal flu shots and H1N1 shots are not mandatory for my school (as far as I understand) but strongly recommended, because if we don't get it some of the clinical sites may have a problem with it, so most people will probably be getting them, I'm pretty sure I will be getting both (even though the H1N1 shot kinda freaks me out:uhoh3:) because I don't want the lack of some shots imposing limitations on my clinicals...

[tokyoROSE, BSN, RN]

I will be getting the shot this year since my clinical placements are at two hospitals that require them. I didn't ever get the flu shot before I entered nursing school, not because I'm anti-vaccine but because I hate shots and seem to have a great immune system. I hardly ever get sick. Maybe once a year, and the sickness lasts one or two days. Its odd & blessing at the same time because I've never had to stay home sick from school or work. Anyway I got the H1N1 nasal spray last year and did not have any reactions. People overhype H1N1 vaccine so much its crazy, I even read a lady saying that the spray causes H1N1 to go straight to your brain.... talk about anatomy fail.

[SCnurse2010]

The hospital where we did our clinicals required everyone to get the regular flu shot last year or wear a mask at all times in the building. H1N1 was never required but I would have gotten it had it been. I did, however, actually have H1N1 in Sept last year. It wasn't any worse than the regular flu, actually it was shorter only lasting 3 or 4 days. I'll be getting the shot(s) this year too. If I can potentially be protected from something I might be exposed to in the hospital, I'm all for it!

[cmonkey]

Yep. It may be a coincidence, but since I started getting the flu shots, I haven't had my twice-annual bout with bronchitis or asthma flares. I also got the pneumonia vax a few years back, and that may have something to do with it, I don't know, but I'm not messing with what seems to work. My kids and I all got the hamthrax shot last year and will again this year.

[cmonkey]

(even though the H1N1 shot kinda freaks me out:uhoh3:)

How come?

[anonymousstudent]

I agree that you probably won't have a choice.

I have never had the flu shot before last year. There was a huge shortage in our area of H1N1 (as I'm sure there were in most areas) and I contracted it somehow. I tell you what, I will NEVER miss a flu shot again. I will never go through that hell again. 2 weeks of constant, unbreakable fever, then the coughing, then the pneumonia that followed. If that had happened to me while taking classes I would have had to drop out, plain and simple. There's no way I could have gone to class or clinical in that shape.