Flu Vaccine, enough already!

[Bklyn_RN]

Yes, we are in flu season. And it seems you can't go anywhere without being bombarded/enticed to get the flu vaccine. A lot of times scare tactics are used also. They tried making it mandatory for nurses last season but that failed, thank goodness. Then a friend went to a job interview, and a condition of employment was that she had to get the flu vaccine even though she did not want it.

Yet recently, a healthcare employer (I have declined to identify) went as far as to offer employees who get the flu vaccine (at work), entry into a raffle for a hot electronic gadget. I just think its too much. People already know about the flu vaccine and have made an educated decision about whether they want it or not. Flu vaccines have become extremely commercialized, which leads me to conclude that a financial windfall is being made somewhere. Just sayin...

[dudette10, MSN, RN]

Oh, feh. My husband is Canadian by birth but has lived in the US for the last eight years (legally - with a green card), thanks to me. He refers to himself as both Canadian and American and occasionally, Canadian-American.

So, please, feel free to refer to yourself as something else. I wouldn't mind.

You missed my point entirely.

If he never lived in the US would he would call himself an American? That's my point, in reference to someone who thought that everyone in the entire Western hemisphere was an American. Good god.

[klone, MSN, RN]

Both hospitals I have worked for this flu season make it a requirement of employment. You don't get the shot, you face discipline, up to and including termination.

[morte, LPN, LVN]

excellent, excellent article. i have never gotten flu shots in all my life (i'm into my seventh decade, egad) and am with the folks that believe your immune system is there for a good reason... and this article also offers some startling stats to show that flu vaccine does not improve excess mortality from flu, discusses why the flu vaccine you get this month may or may not be worth spit for the actual flu that comes into your nose, and other good information from real, reputable scientists. the vaccine makers don't much care for the conclusions, but of course, this is huge business. heartily recommended for multiple reprints.

http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2009/11/does-the-vaccine-matter/7723/

if only i could give your post more than one "kudo"......

[klone, MSN, RN]

"We hold these truths to be inevitable, that all men are endowed by their CREATOR, with certain inalienable rights..." When one says one is an American it is assumed the person lives in the USA.

Roll up your sleeve and get the vaccine.

But first, maybe brush up on your Declaration of Independence.

[Stcroix, ASN, PhD, RN]

Sure, everyone has the right to decide for themselves. Then there are the rights of the patients to be protected from infection while they are in a very vulnerable state of health. Have you folks read about the concept of 'herd immunity'? In overly simplified terms it states that the fewer total individuals in a herd are infected, the less chance exists for the rest of the herd to become diseased. Vaccination increases the herd immunity. So when I and others get the inoculation it protects YOU from the flu. This has been an accepted concept for decades. The risks for negative impacts from the flu vaccine are negligible, so what's all the fuss? http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/flushot.htm

[CapeCodMermaid, RN]

But first, maybe brush up on your Declaration of Independence.

When in the course of human events? That? And yes, the word is not inevitable...serves me right for multitasking. Self-evident and unalienable. I did get the Creator part correct.

[MyUserName,RN]

I don't agree that employers should mandate people to get the flu vaccine, but stating that people have already made an educated decision about it is just not true. Some people who have commented naively seem to think the flu shot can cause the flu. The flu shot is an inactive virus and cannot cause the flu. It can cause a mild reaction as your immune system responds to it (sniffles, cold, etc.) but not the full-blown flu. The only "active" flu virus you can get from an immunization is if you get the intranasal flu spray, which most people do not get. Just because you feel you are educated on the topic doesn't mean that you should assume everyone else is. I work with a (generally) under-educated and often homeless patient population, many of whom have not received appropriate education on vaccines, among other things. I don't have a problem with an employer encouraging the vaccines because anyone who works in a hospital could potentially carry the virus and spread it to their vulnerable patients. I work with a pediatric cardiology population and spreading the flu to my patients could kill them. Even though I am young and have a very strong immune system, I choose to get the flu shot to protect my patients more than myself.

Let me clarify, since I didn't make it clear on my post. I never thought the flu vaccine "caused" us to get the flu. But I do know, that the very first time myself and my family ever got the flu vaccine, we got the flu that year. So it didn't protect us from getting it. As I'm sure you know and others have stated on this board, there are many strains and they choose which one will "most likely" be out during that flu season. They are not always correct. This time they weren't and we got the flu regardless. Thus, I have made the decision not to inject myself and my kids with poison to MAYBE protect us from the flu that year. In my opinion, flu vaccines are much different from other vaccines because of the fact that they are guessing which strain will be out and you MAY OR MAY NOT be immunized. So get your flu shot, fine. You and your patients MAY OR MAY NOT be protected by doing so. So if you care about your patients not getting the flu from you, you might want to wear the mask 100% of the time regardless if you get the shot or not since the shot may or may not keep you from being infected this year.

[wooh, BSN, RN]

So if you care about your patients not getting the flu from you, you might want to wear the mask 100% of the time regardless if you got the shot or not since the shot may or may not keep you from being infected this year.

Anyone that doesn't wear a mask all the time is uneducated. Sure, you're getting your flu shot, but if you were educated, you'd know that it doesn't protect against every strain. Why risk giving your patients something that you haven't been vaccinated for? It's about protecting the patients. It's plain selfish to not wear a mask.

[MyUserName,RN]

I'm sure all of your patients appreciate your putting their health at risk because of your refusal to comply with vaccinations. But you're right, it's your body. I'm sure at some point in the future, you're going to lose a job or two refusing to accept vaccines. It's good you have options.

I'm calling B.S. on this. The vaccine MAY be protecting patients, but you don't know until the season begins and we see which true strain is out and which one you were vaccinated against. Being that you can and probably will still be susceptable to catching the flu because they don't always get the vaccine right and sometimes there's more than one strain out, you and your patients are still at risk. Like I said before, since you don't know if you were vaccinated correctly or not, the best thing you can do for your patients is wear a mask at all times during flu season because even though you've been vaccinated you are still putting your patients at risk because the vaccine may not have done it's intended job. Let's see if you all do that....being you care so much about spreading flu to your patients and all.

[dudette10, MSN, RN]

When in the course of human events? That? And yes, the word is not inevitable...serves me right for multitasking. Self-evident and unalienable. I did get the Creator part correct.

No, klone is talking about the fact that you quoted the Declaration of Independence, when the post you were responding to mentioned the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

now, now, all, stand down. everyone wants to be helpful and do the best job possible. let's try to remember that as we move forward before the mods shut down this interesting discussion. facts, please, and a little less emotion would be great.

[just keep swimming]

I haven't finished reading all posts yet, but I just wanted to say one thing...We are nurses because we want to take care of and protect our patients, if we do not get vaccinated we put them at risk. I didn't become a nurse to put my patients at risk...did you?