Forced to get flu shot or wear a mask

[nurse0614]

Recently I heard our hospital will be forcing everyone to get a flu shot or they will have to wear a mask for their entire shift. I have had a reaction to it and usually just boost my immune system during flu season and this works well. I was told that even if we have had a reaction in the past and still don't get it, we wear a mask. This does not sit well with many of us at the hospital. Was wondering if others have experienced this and what they did.

[meanmaryjean, DNP, RN]

Is it true in Chicago they forbid the use of ketchup on hotdogs punishable by the death penalty?

Yes. It is. And rightfully so.

[MrChicagoRN, RN]

NO, it will result in you getting thrown out of the hotdog stand AFTER being forced to take flu shots.

Children under 12 are exempt from the Ketchup rule.

However, asking for a dog with mayo Will most likely get you killed.

[MrChicagoRN, RN]

But Bleb is more fun to say

But "skin bubble" is the most funnest.

[cherryelle07]

Haha this thread reminded me to get my flu shot. Asked my NP to administer it about an hour ago. lol

[AutumnApple]

Haha this thread reminded me to get my flu shot. Asked my NP to administer it about an hour ago. lol

They got to you too then?

Brainwashed

[cayenne06, MSN, CNM]

I get the flu every time I get the flu shot. Also the MMR vaccine causes autism and anyway measles is just a mild childhood illness so why all the fuss. And same with the flu; it's just a bad cold. Vaccines aren't the reason smallpox was wiped out, or polio was almost eliminated, and it is certainly not why measles went from being endemic to being a sporadic problem. That was all just because of public sanitation/clean water initiatives, and better nutrition. And also, as I have heard said way too many times, aren't we just weakening our species through things like vaccination? Survival of the fittest, right?

I boost my immune system with vitamin C and homeopathy and, i don't know.. . antioxidants or something. Works great, I hardly ever get sick.

Nevermind that our immune response is an inflammatory process, and "boosting" your immune system would mean purposefully stimulating a constant inflammatory response, which would probably make you feel terrible and surely expose you to all the bad things that result from chronic inflammation. That is really besides the point, because thankfully there is no herb or supplement or whatever that would cause your immune system to go into overdrive- our body values homeostasis too much to be thrown off so easily. Reasonably good nutrition and exercise keep things working as they should, and if not you should see a health care provider.

Nevermind that vaccines have almost certainly saved more lives and prevented more pain and suffering than any public health intervention ever. Nevermind that feeling "sick" after a vaccine is just a normal immune response (see "boosting your immunity" above)- it's not the bug that makes you feel sick- the aches, fever and malaise are a result of your immune system doing its job and reacting to the perceived threat, whether a wild pathogen or a vaccine.

Nevermind that my 10 year old daughter with a primary immunodeficiency relies on herd immunity to protect her, since she is both more susceptible to severe complications from infections, and because she can't receive and/or does not respond to many vaccines. Nevermind that another child with my daughter's disorder died last year from a complication of chicken pox, everyone's favorite "mild" childhood illness. Nevermind that my 12 year old has autism, even though he didn't receive a single vaccine until around age 6, because I stupidly didn't vaccinate him as a baby. Nevermind that vaccines are MUCH, much much much much, safer than other things we routinely give our child without a second thought. That baby advil carries risk at an order of magnitude more than childhood vaccines. Lets all freak out about that instead, okay?

Vaccine denialism began with the smallpox vaccine. Pseudoscientific alt med will be a scourge on society indefinitely. There's nothing new there. And trust me, I get it. I drank more of that kool aid than most people I know. I was the one with homemade onion syrup and a homeopathic first aid kit. I was the one counseling other parents against vaccination.

I am ashamed that I put my kids and the community at risk because I trusted the posts on my mommy message boards more than our pediatrician.

Anyway. If you work in health care, get the flu vaccine or GTFO (barring medical exemptions). The mask is not all that effective at reducing transmission, esp when you factor in low compliance (you know that mask is flipped off whenever possible), and the fact that a mask is going to be gross and moist after 8+ hours, and probably a fomite in and of itself. I don't mean to sound callous; but it's just how I feel. Similar to how I think you shouldn't be a pharmacist if dispensing plan B offends your delicate sensibilities.

Vaccine denialism speaks to a person's underlying ability to perform the higher level thinking needed to provide safe health care. Medicine is science. Science is a way of stepping outside the limitations of our wetware to methodically seek the truth. It is a messy, human process- but it is literally the ONLY human endeavor that has allowed us to discover, through painfully incremental steps (and plenty of missteps),the truths of our universe.

Anyway. Sorry. This is only tenuously on topic. Carry on!

[honeyforasalteyfish]

I get the flu every time I get the flu shot. Also the MMR vaccine causes autism and anyway measles is just a mild childhood illness so why all the fuss. And same with the flu; it's just a bad cold. Vaccines aren't the reason smallpox was wiped out, or polio was almost eliminated, and it is certainly not why measles went from being endemic to being a sporadic problem. That was all just because of public sanitation/clean water initiatives, and better nutrition. And also, as I have heard said way too many times, aren't we just weakening our species through things like vaccination? Survival of the fittest, right?

I boost my immune system with vitamin C and homeopathy and, i don't know.. . antioxidants or something. Works great, I hardly ever get sick.

Nevermind that our immune response is an inflammatory process, and "boosting" your immune system would mean purposefully stimulating a constant inflammatory response, which would probably make you feel terrible and surely expose you to all the bad things that result from chronic inflammation. That is really besides the point, because thankfully there is no herb or supplement or whatever that would cause your immune system to go into overdrive- our body values homeostasis too much to be thrown off so easily. Reasonably good nutrition and exercise keep things working as they should, and if not you should see a health care provider.

Nevermind that vaccines have almost certainly saved more lives and prevented more pain and suffering than any public health intervention ever. Nevermind that feeling "sick" after a vaccine is just a normal immune response (see "boosting your immunity" above)- it's not the bug that makes you feel sick- the aches, fever and malaise are a result of your immune system doing its job and reacting to the perceived threat, whether a wild pathogen or a vaccine.

Nevermind that my 10 year old daughter with a primary immunodeficiency relies on herd immunity to protect her, since she is both more susceptible to severe complications from infections, and because she can't receive and/or does not respond to many vaccines. Nevermind that another child with my daughter's disorder died last year from a complication of chicken pox, everyone's favorite "mild" childhood illness. Nevermind that my 12 year old has autism, even though he didn't receive a single vaccine until around age 6, because I stupidly didn't vaccinate him as a baby. Nevermind that vaccines are MUCH, much much much much, safer than other things we routinely give our child without a second thought. That baby advil carries risk at an order of magnitude more than childhood vaccines. Lets all freak out about that instead, okay?

Vaccine denialism began with the smallpox vaccine. Pseudoscientific alt med will be a scourge on society indefinitely. There's nothing new there. And trust me, I get it. I drank more of that kool aid than most people I know. I was the one with homemade onion syrup and a homeopathic first aid kit. I was the one counseling other parents against vaccination.

I am ashamed that I put my kids and the community at risk because I trusted the posts on my mommy message boards more than our pediatrician.

Anyway. If you work in health care, get the flu vaccine or GTFO (barring medical exemptions). The mask is not all that effective at reducing transmission, esp when you factor in low compliance (you know that mask is flipped off whenever possible), and the fact that a mask is going to be gross and moist after 8+ hours, and probably a fomite in and of itself. I don't mean to sound callous; but it's just how I feel. Similar to how I think you shouldn't be a pharmacist if dispensing plan B offends your delicate sensibilities.

Vaccine denialism speaks to a person's underlying ability to perform the higher level thinking needed to provide safe health care. Medicine is science. Science is a way of stepping outside the limitations of our wetware to methodically seek the truth. It is a messy, human process- but it is literally the ONLY human endeavor that has allowed us to discover, through painfully incremental steps (and plenty of missteps),the truths of our universe.

Anyway. Sorry. This is only tenuously on topic. Carry on!

As I posted earlier that I do take immunosuppressants, and it did nearly result in a life ending infection.

I have a an auto-immune disease called crohns.

Of of course I would rather not take the immune-suppressants at all, but not taking them would likely lead to an early death.

It wouldn't happen overnight I would probably be fine for many months possibly a few years.

Inevitably though I would have a flair up. Without treatment it would result in me slowly bleeding internally, slipping into a comma, and death.

I am sorry about your daughter it can be tough at any age particularly so young. I developed the my disease at 18 So I was perhaps a little more fortunate in that I had more time to develop immunities.

[carolinapooh, BSN, RN]

It's wheal, people! ������

Not really.

[h=2]wheal[/h] (wēl), A circumscribed, evanescent papule or irregular plaque of edema of the skin, appearing as an urticarial lesion, slightlyreddened, often changing in size and shape and extending to adjacent areas, and usually accompanied by intenseitching; produced by intradermal injection or test, or by exposure to allergenic substances in susceptible persons; alsoencountered in dermatitis herpetiformis (Darier sign).

Synonym(s): hives (2) , welt

[A.S. hwēle]

[carolinapooh, BSN, RN]

http:

Global warming was mentioned to make a point, not to debate it.

I'm surprised you haven't heard that there are those who want "climate change disbelievers" or "global warming deniers" prosecuted, AG Lynch and a group of liberal attorneys among them.

Attorney General Lynch Looks Into Prosecuting ‘Climate Change Deniers'

16 Democrat AGs Begin Inquisition Against ‘Climate Change Disbelievers'

She's a complete idiot.

[carolinapooh, BSN, RN]

10% isn't much of a discount. But if the foods are GMO, count me in!

It is interesting that every year we have the same old, same old arguments against vaccines. I was hopeful that with more scientific education and a good statistics class, some nurses and doctors would become more pro-vaccine. I realize that the ones who are crowing about GBS and other "vaccine injuries" are a tiny minority of medically trained folks but it still surprises me that science-based medical people buy into the myths.

I did read that Doctor Sears (that wacko anti-vaxx doc) is in some trouble lately.

Good.

He's not anti-vax as far as I know. He's a proponent of an alternative schedule, but he's not clear-cut anti-vax.

[pinkiepieRN]

My local grocery store has a walk-in clinic attached. They are offering 10% off of grocery shopping trip if I get a flu shot at the clinic. Going down to stock up tomorrow! Plus a former coworker is the ARNP there, so I get to catch up with her at the same time!

Not the same but the Target near me gives out $5 gift cards for those who get flu vax.

[RNKPCE]

I read a n interesting academic article a few months ago (can't remember where) talking about the difference between beliefs based on things like faith, conviction, or desire tend to be held tighter than beliefs based on facts and scientific knowledge. That "tightness" is why it is so hard to shake a person's personal beliefs with facts. They are going to believe what they believe in spite of the facts, not because of them. The article wasn't focused on the anti-vaccine people, but that was used as an example -- as was religious faith and racial prejudice.

I listened to a TED talk about this topic. Very interesting. Google "motivated reasoning "