Immunizations and being a nurse

kool-aide, RN · Mar 7, 2012

You may have issues with that unless you have a legitimate medical or religious reason that can be corroborated by a church official or MD. Many hospitals are making seasonal flu vaccinations mandatory….

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN · Mar 7, 2012

uh-oh :eek: , here it comes around again. op, you can find whatever you are looking for on this sure-to-develop-into-contentious topic :argue: in several threads on immunizations by typing "immunizations" in the search box above.

MrsF26 · Mar 7, 2012

Thanks

caroladybelle, BSN, RN · Mar 7, 2012

There are several hundred threads on this topic. Please research those.

I do not know the data for Canada. In the USA, you would find extreme difficulty finding a nursing program that would accept you and if you are admitted, may find it difficult as many clinical sites will not permit you do clinicals at them, something that could keep you from completing the program/graduating.

If you graduate and get licensed, most will not hire employees that do not have basic immunizations, and those vary from place to place and even by department.

Some departments within a hospital may actual bar unimmunized staff for their safety and safety of pts. Peds, Onco, ICUs, ID/HIV. Others may require you mask at ALL times during flu season.

And it does not matter how smart, nice, gentle or sweet you are. Evidence based data confirms the appropriateness of immunization, even though many people do not believe that data or think immunizations are dangerous. A fear of lawsuits, if infection is passed from staff to pt, or pt to staff is a great motivator.

MrsF26 · Mar 7, 2012

What are the vaccines that would be completely necessary to get? I cannot seem to find any list of which specific vaccines are needed, does anybody know?

loriangel14, RN · Mar 7, 2012

I am in Canada as well ( Ontario).The only person in my nursing class that was exempt from vaccinations was one that had a severe allergy to them.Everyone else had to get them.One girl had to discontinue the course because she refused.Maybe check with the program you want to apply to and they can tell you more.Sometimes it's not the school,sometimes it's the clinical site that demands them.

caroladybelle, BSN, RN · Mar 7, 2012

Vaccine requirements depend on facility, and school. They vary from place to place. Some general ones.

MMR - Measles/Mumps/Rubella - or have immune titer.

Polio - don't know if it is always required

DPT - Diptheria/Pertusis/Tetorifice - may need update on Pertusis because there has been a resurgency in people that were vaccinated over 10-20 years ago.

Hepatitis B - some places require, others do not.

Varicella - or positive titer - if this one is required, you need to get it early, you cannot work with patients at all, within a few weeks of getting it. And many places require a positive titer post vaccine, so some people get it redone.

Seasonal Influenza/H1N1 - depends on where you work. Many places require the injection, not the nasal form.

Again, it has more to do with the clinical site requirements than the school.

classicdame, MSN, EdD · Mar 7, 2012

There are thousands of diseases but only the WORST have vaccines (and not all of them). Hospital care is a business. It is not good for business to allow nurses to work who will spread disease. So hospitals may require the vaccines. Also, if you are sick and stay home they have to find a replacement - another expense in the eyes of the hospital. It is ok if you want to risk your own health, but hospitals may not consider your rationales good enough to risk the health of co-workers or patients. Sorry.

MrsF26 · Mar 7, 2012

A thought just crossed my mind, do most vaccines have an oral version as opposed to one that has to be injected?

MrsF26 · Mar 7, 2012

Also, what exactly is an immune titer?

caroladybelle, BSN, RN · Mar 7, 2012

Very few have an oral form. The only one that I am familiar with was polio and BCG (for TB -not all that effective and very rarely used in areas where TB is not a major scourge - not required for stateside nurses nor recommended for them). But both were decades ago, and may not be given that way any more.

Titer - if you have had diseases like varicella (chickenpox), this often but not always confers a lifetime immunity. They draw blood and can actually measure the level of immunity. If it is adequate, no need to vaccinate/revaccinate. Also, most of us had MMR vaccines in childhood, but may not have documentation. They can draw blood and determine if you were vaccinated/immune/or if the vaccination is still confering adequate immunity. Thus, you may not need as many vaccinations.

Virtually all facilities require TB testing that is generally done at the same time. This is usually done by a small skin scratch/or injection that is checked 2 days later, for reaction.

In the US, many of these were required before you start public school. Do they do that in Canada?