Hepatitis B vaccine

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Hi there,

Hope this is the right area to post my question.

So, I need to be immune to hepatitis B before I start my clinical placements. I have alreay had 2 doses, and my third is due late February 2010. Then wait a month to get immune screening so late March.

My semester starts at the beginning of February, and the university needs results by end of 2009.

If I got the blood test after the second dose, would it show up that I am immune in my blood test?

I still will get the third dose, but I don't want to have to wait a semester before I can start my clinicals, so was hoping it would show up on my screening after only two.

Thanks :)

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Specializes in Assessment coordinator.

You should be able to sign a waiver, regardless. I have never had any vaccines, because they are against my belief system, and I have never had any problem getting a job.

BTW, I am a Hep B carrier, and no one, my fetuses, my children or my spouses have ever tested positive, even when I have an active flare up. I got hep B as a child in an orphanage. My adoptive mother did get it as soon as I was adopted, but my dad didn't and neither did my older sister. That was over 50 years ago.

They always have waivers, for those of us who don't believe in immunizations.

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Specializes in Pediatric Hem/Onc.

I only had 2 doses, and my titer turned up positive. Granted, there was a long time period between doses, but the booster gave me immunity.

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Thanks

I haven't had any vaccinations either (until I started nursing school. Now I've had MMR, and 2 Hep B). My mum never believed in it.

I would never get my children vaccinated, but at my university (in New Zealand), we have to be immune to a number of illnesses/diseases to be able to do clinical placements. They do have a waiver, however I was told that the DHBs won't let you do placements without immunity, and although I dont believe in them, I figured it would just be easier to get them.

When people say I needed to be immunised to be safe, I get so angry! Especially because my first immune blood screening showed I was immune to many of the illnesses that I had never caught!!

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As with Shan, I had titres drawn before the 3rd shot and didn't need it.

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Great thanks.

I'd been getting so worried about what I would do next semester. I'll still get the third shot, but just hoping the screening would show as positive earlier

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Specializes in jack of all trades.

If correct you need to show you had the titer done and had you series of injections. In dialysis we routinely give Hep B vaccines and many times pt will still not convert HbAb to the above 10 levels. Even after a second series. I have had pt's who never converted. Also getting the titer in the middle of the series can give a false conversion. I wouldnt be to worried about whether or not you convert at this point. If anything they would require you get yearly titers done which most jobs do also in health care. I have a titer over 150 and never recieved the vaccines so obviously I was exposed at one point in my career. Fortunately I didnt convert to a positive HbAg. Hope this helps.

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If correct you need to show you had the titer done and had you series of injections. In dialysis we routinely give Hep B vaccines and many times pt will still not convert HbAb to the above 10 levels. Even after a second series. I have had pt's who never converted. Also getting the titer in the middle of the series can give a false conversion. I wouldnt be to worried about whether or not you convert at this point. If anything they would require you get yearly titers done which most jobs do also in health care. I have a titer over 150 and never recieved the vaccines so obviously I was exposed at one point in my career. Fortunately I didnt convert to a positive HbAg. Hope this helps.

Lacie...it has come to my attention (on a pt oriented board that i visit) that some celiacs do not convert...just a thought

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Specializes in jack of all trades.
Lacie...it has come to my attention (on a pt oriented board that i visit) that some celiacs do not convert...just a thought

True yet these pt's were not celiac.I believe I have only one that was and hers developed immunity. As the DON I had to do the monthly antigens on those who didnt convert and even after 2 series (we gave 4 injections per series at our facility) some remained still under 10. As if they didnt convert we were required to do monthly HBag on them. Of course in dialysis there is so much potential for blood exposure comparative to many other areas therefore high risk. We also did monthly HbAg if they were getting a series but we didnt do the HbAb until the yearly requirement. I more less just wanted to encourage the poster not to freak out if he/she doesnt convert immediately and also to get labs done during the series can give a false antibody result therefore giving false assurance one is "immune". It shouldnt hold them back from starting thier clinical area as long as they have done the requirements. If they are telling the poster "it must show immunity" doesnt seem appropriate. I have one staff member whom I have given 2 full series too and still he hasnt converted.

Fortunately I must have a strong immunity system as I cant get PPD test due to positives in the past and INH therapy and also natural developed immunity for Hep B lol. Of course like you I beleive we both started in Nursing long before they had "universal precautions". When I entered nursing we were told dont wear gloves unless cleaning up waste as patients seen it as insulting lol. We have come along way havent we.

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True yet these pt's were not celiac.I believe I have only one that was and hers developed immunity. As the DON I had to do the monthly antigens on those who didnt convert and even after 2 series (we gave 4 injections per series at our facility) some remained still under 10. As if they didnt convert we were required to do monthly HBag on them. Of course in dialysis there is so much potential for blood exposure comparative to many other areas therefore high risk. We also did monthly HbAg if they were getting a series but we didnt do the HbAb until the yearly requirement. I more less just wanted to encourage the poster not to freak out if he/she doesnt convert immediately and also to get labs done during the series can give a false antibody result therefore giving false assurance one is "immune". It shouldnt hold them back from starting thier clinical area as long as they have done the requirements. If they are telling the poster "it must show immunity" doesnt seem appropriate. I have one staff member whom I have given 2 full series too and still he hasnt converted.

Fortunately I must have a strong immunity system as I cant get PPD test due to positives in the past and INH therapy and also natural developed immunity for Hep B lol. Of course like you I beleive we both started in Nursing long before they had "universal precautions". When I entered nursing we were told dont wear gloves unless cleaning up waste as patients seen it as insulting lol. We have come along way havent we.

yup, we had the first ADS patient in the city when i was in nursing school....before that gloves were not used for much.....but back to the celiac/gluten sensitive....it would appear that many go undx, the average time lapse is about 11 yrs from presentation to dx.....stat. it is thought that 1:133 is celiac/gluten sensitive...

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Specializes in CDI Supervisor; Formerly NICU.
If correct you need to show you had the titer done and had you series of injections. In dialysis we routinely give Hep B vaccines and many times pt will still not convert HbAb to the above 10 levels. Even after a second series. I have had pt's who never converted. Also getting the titer in the middle of the series can give a false conversion. I wouldnt be to worried about whether or not you convert at this point. If anything they would require you get yearly titers done which most jobs do also in health care. I have a titer over 150 and never recieved the vaccines so obviously I was exposed at one point in my career. Fortunately I didnt convert to a positive HbAg. Hope this helps.

I had the complete series of 3 injections in 2007. Just last week, I was informed by the employee health nurse at my new hospital that my titer did not show any antibodies (uh...antigens? Yikes, my memory.) or immunity to HBV. He recommended to me that I might want to consider a booster. I figure I just don't have the antibodies/antigens because I haven't been exposed to the virus, so I probably won't get the booster.

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Specializes in Aged Care.

Hi there, thanks to the poster as well as to those who commented on this thread. I have also been wondering about the same thing. If I get lucky I might got to Queensland for clinical placements or Sydney to do the Bridging Program for nurses in the middle of this year. Anyway, about 15 years ago I had 3 doses of Hepa B vaccine. Then just last month I had a titer done and it showed up non-reactive or negative. So to be sure I will start all over again, and I actually had my 1st (again) shot last week. But like the poster, I was wondering if I can have a titer drawn just after the third shot? Maybe a couple of weeks after that? Coz I might need to leave for the clinical placements before the recommended 6 month-wait. So according to one commenter, she had done a titer after the second and it showed up fine. So I guess I'll just have to do the same.

Thanks and God bless us all!

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