Hepatitus b vaccine

Euphrosyne7, MSN, RN · Feb 14, 2004

Hi..

I believe that you can get the first two shots within a month of each other and the final one two months after that. I am not sure about how your school works but where I am, we don't have clinical during our first semester of nursing so we have plenty of time upon acceptance to the program to get the vaccination.

I would contact someone from your nursing dept to see what their policy is.

BarbPick · Feb 14, 2004

Hi ok as i suppose you know from my messages the last or two i got accepted onto nursing course but for the course you have to haved had the hep b vacine
ive looked into this and it looks like this takes 6 months to take place so this means i wont have completed it by march 15 when course starts will this be a problem?????

You start getting immunity immediately. You will be fine. On the other hand, I had my series in 1986 and was tested in 2003 and I needed to get immunized again, I had a booster shit. I showed antiboties a month later. It is more important to be immunized.

NurseDiva04 · Feb 15, 2004

I started my series on Jan. 25. I have to wait 30 days to take the 2nd one, Feb. 25. I was told that I had to wait 6-9 months for the last one. You may want to check on this.

CJ

Hi ok as i suppose you know from my messages the last or two i got accepted onto nursing course but for the course you have to haved had the hep b vacine
ive looked into this and it looks like this takes 6 months to take place so this means i wont have completed it by march 15 when course starts will this be a problem?????

Silverdragon102, BSN · Feb 15, 2004

the standard is 2 injections in a month. ie 1 today and 1 a month later. the 3rd injection is 6 months after with a blood test 4-6 weeks later to check titre levels (immunity levels) This blood test should be checked atleast 5 yearly and give a booster if necessary. I have not needed a booster for over 7 yrs as my titre level is good. Protections starts very quickly and I am sure it will not be a problem with the course as long as you show proof that you are doing the course of imms.

karenG · Feb 15, 2004

Given that you will probably have to pay for it.. the cost is £90 for the course. the standard course is as silverdragon says. we dont tend to use the accelerated course unless you are a traveller- it means 4 jabs rather than 3! You will develope some immunity quickly- but wont get full until you have compeleted the course. The blood test to check that you have sero-converted is usually done 12wks after completion of the course (in my practice anyway)

You can find more info on hep B ( and all other imms) if you go to the green book web site. The green book is my 'bible' for travel imms and is now online.... sorry but cant remember the web address... but I am sure someone will post it!! if not, I will check and post it tomorrow!!

Karen

Silverdragon102, BSN · Feb 16, 2004

Given that you will probably have to pay for it.. the cost is £90 for the course.
I work as a practice nurse and if you are in what we class 'At Risk' category due to where/what work you do, the Hep B is free.
Anna

karenG · Feb 16, 2004

Given that you will probably have to pay for it.. the cost is £90 for the course.
I work as a practice nurse and if you are in what we class 'At Risk' category due to where/what work you do, the Hep B is free.
Anna
Hi Anna- I too work as a nurse practitioner in general practice. Hep B is classed as an occupational health service (at least in my area) and as such there is a fee attached to it. we cant give hep b to our own patients and have an arrangement with another practice- they do ours and we do theirs. the fee is £90. on the whole employers pay it. Travellers for some reason dont have to pay!! all a little mad!! I think it may depend on the local LMC ruling but may be a DOH thing. Think I will do some checking... but I was under the impression that the occupational health thing was across the country!
I work in Kent- where do you work??
Karen

Whisper · Feb 16, 2004

Balco

I had only had two Hep B injections before I went on placement... the uni didn't seem to mind aslong as we could be trusted to say that we didn't have hep b immunity if there was an incident. Looking back I think I now would mind... but I was very (or more) naive then!

I didn't have to pay for my hep b injections, but I think that varies from practice to practice. Also occ. health and uni wanted to know the anitbody levels, and because of two groups requesting this information I paid £5 and got a letter from my practice nurse,which stated the antibody levels which I just photocopied and keep a copy in my diary and my health and safety passport.

Silverdragon102, BSN · Feb 16, 2004

Hi Anna- I too work as a nurse practitioner in general practice. Hep B is classed as an occupational health service (at least in my area) and as such there is a fee attached to it. we cant give hep b to our own patients and have an arrangement with another practice- they do ours and we do theirs. the fee is £90. on the whole employers pay it. Travellers for some reason dont have to pay!! all a little mad!! I think it may depend on the local LMC ruling but may be a DOH thing. Think I will do some checking... but I was under the impression that the occupational health thing was across the country!
I work in Kent- where do you work??
Hi Karen
I work in Bradford, this is my first practice as a practice nurse and the Docs have been great. I have been able to do things at my own pace and not be pushed into anything I didn't feel ready for.
We definately don't charge for Hep B if it is a occupational thing but do if it is for holidays (don't get many for that) and I have been working today with another practice and they also don't charge if it is given for occupational
Anna

karenG · Feb 16, 2004

Hi Karen

I work in Bradford, this is my first practice as a practice nurse and the Docs have been great. I have been able to do things at my own pace and not be pushed into anything I didn't feel ready for.

We definately don't charge for Hep B if it is a occupational thing but do if it is for holidays (don't get many for that) and I have been working today with another practice and they also don't charge if it is given for occupational

Anna

HI Anna

Isnt it weird the way the rules vary from county to county!! I've been in general practice 16yrs.. first as a practice nurse, then nurse practitioner (thats a long and hard course!) and now I am an NP and lead practice nurse for the local PCT!! I think the whole issue of vaccines, in particular travel, is about to change because travel vaccs, including hep B, are enhanced services........... and the PCT can commission a practice to supply those services! so I dont think all practices will be giving travel jabs in the future.. which is a pity. we will become deskilled and travel medicine is fascinating- I love it!! At present my practice doesnt charge for travel jabs. wonder how many patients will have their travel jabs when they have to pay?

oh and did you know men a&c should be on a private script only.. along with rabies!

me.. I'm never going to any of these dangerous countries.. who wants dengue fever, tick born encephalitis? etc!

Karen

Silverdragon102, BSN · Feb 17, 2004

oh and did you know men a&c should be on a private script only.. along with rabies!

Karen

Hi Karen,

My collegue is just coming to the end of her 2nd yr for NP training, so I can understand it is hard. If I wasn't trying to go to the US I would probably aim for Respiratory Nurse, in the surgery that is an area I have set up within the practice. I do spirometry and COPD reviews, hoping to do my asthma diploma in a couple of months.

We have been warning hol travellers that soon there might be charges for hol vacs. If it is a vacs that we don't keep stock i.e. Hep a, typhoid tet polio we put it on private pres and warn the patient before hand that it will be private. Some gp's up here believe that if you can afford your holiday you can afford your vacs. The only vacs we don't give is Yellow Fever.

Anna