Hypothetical Situation: mandated flu vaccine

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Specializes in Telemetry, Heart/Vascular.

The hospital I'm at is requiring ALL hospital staff to be vaccinated for the flu this year (unless you have documentation of severe reaction to this or have religious reasons as to why you can't take it). Today sitting in the break room we were talking, if you were to suffer a severe reaction or have a hematoma/numbness or tingling/severe pain at the site can we sue the hospital? Or take other actions since this is now a 'requirement'?

I took mine yesterday and never usually have any issues. Just curious as to what would happen : )

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Specializes in LTC.
:banghead:
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Specializes in PICU, Sedation/Radiology, PACU.

Can you sue the hospital if you slip and fall in the non-slip shoes you were required to wear?

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Sure you can sue. Winning is an entirely different scenario and I'm sure the hospital has very good lawyers.

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Specializes in Emergency/Cath Lab.

Do your pts sue when you give them a hematoma from a shot?

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.

Please, for the love of god and country, look at this thread:

https://allnurses.com/pandemic-flu-forum/mandated-flu-vaccine-618181-page11.html#post5726677

Any questions/thoughts/reactions you may have will be oh-so-thoroughly covered by this thread.

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Specializes in ER, ICU.

I believe you would be treated under workers comp if injured by mandatory vaccine. Would you sue them if you were injured by some other piece of mandated equipment?

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Specializes in Hospice, LTC, Rehab, Home Health.

The only circumstance where I personally would see filing suit against my employer would be a documented severe allergy (hives, respiratory distress, etc.) but required to take vaccine anyway. (This scenario was advanced in a previous thread) Then experiencing another severe reaction (anaphylaxis or death) with my family filing and winning a substantial amount of money.

The thing I don't see being taken into consideration is that even mild reactions should be cause for exemption from the vaccine. Doesn't "sensitizing exposure" ring a bell?

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Specializes in Critical Care.

Anybody can sue for anything, but what do you think the hospital is more concerned about?: A Nurse suing because their flu shot was painful, or getting sued because one of their unvaccinated Nurses gave a patient influenza and they died.

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What religion prohibits getting a flu shot?

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