Freaking out! Vaccination requirements

Feistn · Dec 9, 2012

Contact your program. I'm 100% certain there's a procedure in place for this circumstance. There was in my program. You will probably have to fill out a form outlining why you didn't get the vaccine, and it will probably require a doctor's signature.

My best, big picture advice to you is to learn how to stop "freaking out." The people that freak out in nursing school don't do as well, and frankly, the nurses who freak out burn out. Panic doesn't make you an effective learner or decision maker. There is usually a solution to any circumstance, and most of what nursing school aims to teach each of us is how to be critical thinkers. You will have challenges on the path to nursing school; do yourself a favor and remember that each of these are learning opportunities, not judgments on your character or intellect.

blueyes27 · Dec 9, 2012

That is very true I need to stop freaking out I just really wasnt expecting to be pregnant. My husband and I wanted a baby but after I was done with school.

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN · Dec 9, 2012

Well.....I would check with the school. Being pregnant during school won't be easy .......what if you have complications and can't be on your feet....does your school have issue with pregnancy and continuing the program? You need to check with them.

Congrats on the baby!!!! But you may have to postpone school. I wish you the best.

rumwynnieRN · Dec 9, 2012

My school makes exceptions to rules in these types of circumstances, and if you don't start clinical your first semester, they'll probably give you more time.

Just call. You learn to be flexible in nursing, even when some people (including some teachers) can be too rigid.

adnrnstudent, ASN, RN · Dec 9, 2012

Did you have pox as a kid or are you young enough that you got vaccine? (I'm guessing your young enough where you had vaccine, can your doc show documentation?)

I just learned a lot about Chicken Pox. I actually contacted the CDC because I was getting different stories from different doctors.

Apparently, there are a lot of false negatives on Chicken Pox. I have past titers that show I'm immune but most recent said not immune.

I had some docs telling me to get vaccine and some telling me not to worry about it.

I contacted CDC and got a live call from them.

They said once immune, always immune and no need to get vaccine because false positive likely. They also said if I did get vaccine, the vaccine produces a lot of false positives, so if you've had vaccine, this may be what's going on.

blueyes27 · Dec 9, 2012

I did have chicken pox as a kid and I had a Titer in the past that was fine and said I was immune. Maybe I can get a copy of those results. Thanks so much for your reply you gave me alot of great information.

FDW630 · Dec 9, 2012

My school requires the positive titer OR physician's documentation of disease. Do you have it noted in your medical records anywhere that you had chicken pox? That might be enough. Im in the same boat...except I never had chicken pox. The vaccine wasn't available when I was a kid either. So my school has left me barely enough time, like to the day, to get my vaccines, have a titer drawn and have the results back in time to meet their deadline. Eep!