Immunizations

ohiobobcat · Jan 7, 2014

Our school district's immunization declination form covers medical, religious and philosophical reasons, which pretty much covers any reason not to get immunized. Our state has a policy on immunizations for children who attend school, maybe search your state's .gov web site for a policy?

SchlNrsKrn · Jan 7, 2014

What state are you in? Every state has immunization requirements for school attendance, and most local entities have board policies that reference those state requirements.

Flare, ASN, BSN · Jan 7, 2014

What state are you in? I believe (but may be wrong so don't take me as gospel!) that most states have some sort of vaccine requirements to attend school. Like Ohiobobcat said, check your state website to be sure of what your state laws are - they will either give you more leverage against this parent or allow you to honor his wishes to have an unvaccinated child.

Gems0607 · Jan 7, 2014

I'm in NC and under the military SOPs as well. Which is a whole 'nother ball park at times.

Also to add its a daycare center so we are responsible for all immunizations from birth until 5.

Gems0607 · Jan 7, 2014

Thank you so much for your responses.

100kids, BSN, RN · Jan 7, 2014

I am in NY and we allow parents so time to get up to date or to present proof of a medical or religious exemption. If they do not do any of these things we will exclude the child from attending school. Check out your state's law it should help guide you on what to do.

Good Luck!

fetch, BSN, RN · Jan 7, 2014

NC DPH, WCH: Immunization: Family: Immunizations for Children

All children in North Carolina are required to be vaccinated against:
Diphtheria
Hepatitis B
Hib Disease
Measles
Mumps
Pertussis (whooping cough)
Polio
Rubella
Tetorifice
Varicella (chickenpox)

And again -

GS_130A-155

(a) No child shall attend a school (pre K-12), whether public, private or religious, a child care facility as defined in G.S. 110-86(3), unless a certificate of immunization indicating that the child has received the immunizations required by G.S. 130A-152 is presented to the school or facility.

However -

GS_130A-157

If the bona fide religious beliefs of an adult or the parent, guardian or person in loco parentis of a child are contrary to the immunization requirements contained in this Chapter, the adult or the child shall be exempt from the requirements. Upon submission of a written statement of the bona fide religious beliefs and opposition to the immunization requirements, the person may attend the college, university, school or facility without presenting a certificate of immunization.

There you go, state law for NC. But your company policy may allow for you to exclude any child without immunizations if you are a private company - check with your employer.

NutmeggeRN, BSN · Jan 7, 2014

fetch covered it! also get support of your administrator~

Gems0607 · Jan 7, 2014

Thanks Fetch that's exactly what I found.

And NutmeggeRN they are onboard with us so hopefully things go smoothly.

NutmeggeRN, BSN · Jan 8, 2014

I have found that once you push them for A) the vaccine or B) the form for exemption (NH only recognizes religious and medical) and give them an exact exclusion date, they will comply, one way or the other. It is amazing how fast the paper work comes in then!

IF they get an exemption, it then becomes your responsibility to notify them of a suspected or confirmed outbreak and they will need to keep their child home in order to protect them). I keep a list on my desktop for easy access and I update and review it on a regular basis.

Gems0607 · Jan 9, 2014

I have the exemption :). Parents are aware that in the event of an outbreak the child will not be able to be in care.

Thanks again for the advice.