Flu shots for inmates

BBFRN, BSN, PhD · Oct 22, 2004

I used to work in a prison. I was told that the state paying for inmates' flu shots was cheaper than paying for lawsuits that could incur if someone died as a result of not having the flu shots available. Inmates and their families tend to be very litigious.

Dixielee, BSN, RN · Oct 22, 2004

I have read articles that stated inmates and Congressmen and their families will receive the shots even though members of the health care community cannot. The congressmen said they should receive them because they shake hands and kiss babies. I wonder how many of those babies have the flu?? 1st line health care givers in ER's across the country are not being able to get the shots. Our priorities are screwed up bigtime in this country.

Trauma Columnist · Oct 22, 2004

I work in a level one trauma center ER and while I never opt to receive the flu vaccine - nurses, techs, doctors were all offerred it.

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · Oct 22, 2004

I have read articles that stated inmates and Congressmen and their families will receive the shots even though members of the health care community cannot. The congressmen said they should receive them because they shake hands and kiss babies. I wonder how many of those babies have the flu?? 1st line health care givers in ER's across the country are not being able to get the shots. Our priorities are screwed up bigtime in this country.

Oh, yes, Lord forbid some Congressman should catch the flu and be unable to screw the taxpayers for a week or so.

Jazzylyn · Oct 22, 2004

I too think that when you mention chronic illness in the prison population there should be more detail given as to what bunch that is. I don't think that just because you have Hep C you should get to get the flu shot. I think it should be only those offenders that have SERIOUS medical conditions, pregnant women and the elderly in the prison setting.

I agree with CindyRN1. It should depend on what kind of chronic illness you have. If you have a 25 yr old with only HTN, I don't feel they need a flu shot. I think this is where we are having the problem where I work. We have 400 inmates, but have yet to be notified of who should actually be getting the shot. We have 200 or so inmates that are considered to have "chronic disease"...But no real guidelines. As far as DOC staff and medical staff, we have not yet been offered vaccines. I never get one anyway, and this year would be no different but I really think only the severly chronic ill and elderly inmates should be allowed the vaccine. Someone needs to take a stance and tell us what they want us to do or our vaccines will sit in the refrigerator not benefitting anyone.

Ethel · Oct 23, 2004

I was shocked as you were to see that inmates are having the vaccine and nursing staff in many hospital will not be having. I thought it only happened in South Africa where prisoners had more rights then the average man on the street.:angryfire

You mean to tell me that prison inmates can get flu shots when millions of at-risk people who DON'T break the law can't? Give me a break!!

stevierae · Oct 25, 2004

I used to work in a prison. I was told that the state paying for inmates' flu shots was cheaper than paying for lawsuits that could incur if someone died as a result of not having the flu shots available. Inmates and their families tend to be very litigious.

I can sort of see the rationale for giving inmates and congressmen flu shots. Hear me out.

With inmates, community acquired flu is a huge, HUGE risk, and so is community acquired pneumonia. All it takes is one or 2 cases of flu, and the entire facility will be quarantined--including guards and medical and nursing staff--due to a flu epidemic. That flu epidemic can soon turn into a pneumonia epidemic--all it takes is a few droplets of pneumococcus-- since they are already compromised from the flu and haven't received pneumovax. There could be death on a large scale.

Now, maybe the congressmen aren't so concerned about GETTING flu from the people whose hands they shake and the babies they kiss then they are about GIVING it to those people, and thus SPREADING it. In a perfect world, there'd be enough flu vaccine for everybody. I never get a fluy vaccine, even when it's in plentiful supply---I know that people say this is impossible, but I always seem to get sick after I've had one, so I haven't had one for many, many years.

Now, one thing I do wonder--I don't think there is a shortage of pneumovax--although usually only elderly and immunocompromised patients get it. Would getting just the pneumovax possibly make people more resistant to getting the flu? I know, pneumonia--at least Streptococcus (Pneumococcus) is bacterial and flu is viral, but if one is resistant to pneumonia, maybe their all around general better health would make them resistant to flu and other viral illnesses, especially airborne ones, as well--

Dixielee, BSN, RN · Oct 25, 2004

Stevierae, I think you are giving congress too much credit. I don't think they give a rat's behind about keeping their constituents safe, they are worried about themselves and themselves only. I would hope they would have enough sense not to go out shaking hands and kissing babies while suffering flu symptoms. Of course if they had the real flu, they could barely get out of bed, and that would certainly make congress more effective!

The preceeding was an unpaid political announcment!

Jazzylyn · Oct 25, 2004

Today we finally got word of who can actually recieve the flu shot. Only those inmates who are 65 and over, those with chronic illness..Now those with chronic illness must be very ill. This does not include people who just have HTN, they must have some other cardiac problem that puts them at risk. Also, the hard core Asthmatics, COPD (serious cases) and diabetics. Out of 400 inmates at our facility, that means that 36 inmates will get the vaccine. And the Dept of health will be checking our records. We also have a form we must fill out and have copies for the health dept. So in short, out of almost 175 chronic illness inmates, only 36 meet the criteria set forth for our facility. I will be giving the vaccines this Saturday. We were told they must be given before Nov 1st.

Medical staff will be allowed the vaccine. The DOC Officers will not be able to get them either. (I never get the vaccine anyway, so it doesn't affect me)

Orca, ADN, ASN, RN · Nov 20, 2004

The Nevada Department of Corrections is giving shots only to inmates over age 60 and those who are immunocompromised. In the past, these same inmates got the shots free of charge while other inmates who wanted the shots had to pay for them out of their personal funds.