Hospital Requiring Employees to take H1N1 Vaccine

Nurses General Nursing

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Just wanted to get some thoughts on a hospital requiring all employees who have contact with patients to take the H1N1 Vaccine. Thoughts about this being REQUIRED. If an employee refuses, they have to wear a mask for the entire flu season from the moment they walk on hospital grounds until they leave?

Thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Dea

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Specializes in NICU, Post-partum.
Just wanted to get some thoughts on a hospital requiring all employees who have contact with patients to take the H1N1 Vaccine. Thoughts about this being REQUIRED. If an employee refuses, they have to wear a mask for the entire flu season from the moment they walk on hospital grounds until they leave?

Thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Dea

What is supposedly the purpose of the mask?

The H1N1 flu has symptoms and if you are not symptomatic, you don't have it.

If you do have it, then you shouldn't be wearing a mask...you should be at home.

Our hospital released a policy recently and it says if you test positive for the H1N1 flu that you have to be at home for a minimum of 7 days, because that is how long you are contagious.

No way am I going to take a vaccine for anything that was just thrown together with bare minimum trials.

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The H1N1 flu has symptoms and if you are not symptomatic, you don't have it.

You will not have s/sx during the prodromal phase of the disease process.

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Specializes in OR, peds, PALS, ICU, camp, school.
What is supposedly the purpose of the mask?

Punitive, I'm sure. I won't get that vax, either. Sorry, I'm not a guinea pig.

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Specializes in ED.

"What is supposedly the purpose of the mask?"

Humiliation.

I have expressed my thoughts on the issue in the pandemic topic. Although I think there is a fundamental difference between the state requiring that "swine" flu vaccine and an employer, I don't think the employer should require it either. I think the previous post sums it up succinctly; I'm don't want an experimental vaccine for a virus that I almost certainly already have antibodies against.

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Specializes in NICU, Post-partum.
You will not have s/sx during the prodromal phase of the disease process.

Yes, which is the part that is typically not contagious for the majority of disease processes...and the proromal phase is not entirely asymptomatic.

So, that defeats the purpose of the mask.

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Yes, which is the part that is typically not contagious for the majority of disease processes...and the proromal phase is not entirely asymptomatic.

So, that defeats the purpose of the mask.

For some people, they are totally asymptomatic during the prodromal period. And those who aren't tend to not pay any attention to extremely mild, annoying symptoms. I highly doubt if you come down with a headache you'll take a day off because you might be coming down with something. Or if you're feeling some vague malaise. Most people wouldn't give it a second thought.

So, yes the mask serves a purpose.

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Specializes in Utilization Management.
I think you missed the point there. Influenza is contagious at least one day prior to symptoms appearing in the person. Once you have flu symptoms, you've already exposed patients if you happened to be working that day.

So, yes the mask serves a purpose.

I have an interesting visual of the numbers of hospital staff walking the halls wearing N-95 masks, and the expense it's going to generate.

http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/guidelines_infection_control.htm

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Specializes in ED.
I have an interesting visual of the numbers of hospital staff walking the halls wearing N-95 masks, and the expense it's going to generate.

http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/guidelines_infection_control.htm

Not only that, but the hysteria it will create. I hate to argue against the collective "wisdom" of the CDC, but I don't understand the N95 issue. Every pathophysiology book, ever article, every basic nursing book, every infectious disease website and every biology book I have ever read classifies influenza as a virus spread via direct and droplet transmission. I have never read anything to suggest that an influenza with a single swine component will magically become airborne. In fact, initial testing of H1N1 already concluded that it was not airborne.

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I am in nursing school right now and my program is requiring us to get the H1N1 vaccine when it comes out. I'm not too happy about it since I don't even get the regular flu shot if I have a choice (we are made to get that as well). I just don't think it's right to REQUIRE someone to do anything regarding their body and health, especially since the flu vaccine is such a crapshoot. If data showed that there were no risks and there had been significant trials proving its safety and it was at least 80% effective, that might persuade me to get it. But why should I get something that might potentially harm me or not even work? I know someone who almost died of resp failure from Guillan Barre syndrome from the last swine flu vax in the 1970s and she still suffers from some paralysis and loss of sensation. Maybe this makes me a little biased, but why risk it? Anyway, I have to do it in order to pass my classes but under any other circumstance, I wouldn't get it.

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.

My job is requiring this as well. Feels like a police state to me.

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Thanks to all who responded. Since this is my PRN job and not my full-time job / employer....guess they will have one less PRN employee. I felt very strongly against taking it for many of the reasons stated here and this reaffirms my decision. Guess the last day of September will be my last day available to work for them. Thanks again to all who replied. Dea

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