Increase in Hep B refusal?

Specialties Ob/Gyn

Published

Specializes in Obstetrics, mother/baby.

Do you see a trend in parents refusing the Hep B vaccines for their babies?

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Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.

I definitely see it happening more now, but those parents are definitely not in the majority.

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Specializes in L&D.

Nope. Haven't noticed it here.

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Specializes in Nurse Manager, Labor and Delivery.

We have seen an increase ever since Oprah had her show on about vaccines. The power of the O rises again.

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From day one, it appears that the majority of parents where I work have refused it.

They seem to clean out the refrigerator on the night shift, and the overnight pharmacists are shocked at how many Hep Bs come back, and we have to discard them because we don't know how they were stored upstairs, or if they were ever in the patient's room and therefore considered contaminated.

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Specializes in Midwifery.

Hep B in the first week of life is completely unnecessary; I absolutely refused it for my newborn 3 years ago and would do so again. He has since had his complete vaccine schedule; just missed the initial birth dose. I'm surprised more don't refuse it! Especially low risk families.

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Specializes in Obstetrics, mother/baby.

I agree, I don't see the need for a newborn to receive the Hep B vaccine. I think it can wait until an older age. Did you vaccinate your child(ren) with the other standard vaccines: MMR, OPV, DPT? If not, what influenced your decison?

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Specializes in Obstetrics, mother/baby.

To RPH3364:

What reasons do the parents give for the refusal? We have some parents who say they will have it given, but want to wait until the baby's office check up. Do you track refusals and the reasons? We did that for a while to try to determine the reasons.

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Specializes in Obstetrics, mother/baby.

Do the parents give a reason for the refusals? Do you track how many are refused and the reasons? we have had about 50% of those who refuse state that they wanted to wait and have it given in the pediatrician's office. Now maybe they were just saying that to avoid further conversation on the topic.:coollook:

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Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.
Hep B in the first week of life is completely unnecessary; I absolutely refused it for my newborn 3 years ago and would do so again. He has since had his complete vaccine schedule; just missed the initial birth dose. I'm surprised more don't refuse it! Especially low risk families.

I absolutely agree with you, Oz. I DID have my son vaxed but if I had it to do all over again wouldn't do it while he's still newborn.

A lot of my parents don't outright refuse the vaccine, but they do choose to wait til baby is a little older before getting it. I should have phrased it that way in the first answer I gave.

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To RPH3364:

What reasons do the parents give for the refusal? We have some parents who say they will have it given, but want to wait until the baby's office check up. Do you track refusals and the reasons? We did that for a while to try to determine the reasons.

I don't know, as I am a pharmacist, not a nurse. It is required for school attendance in our state, so I'm guessing they just want to have it given later on.

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Specializes in ER.
Hep B in the first week of life is completely unnecessary; I absolutely refused it for my newborn 3 years ago and would do so again. He has since had his complete vaccine schedule; just missed the initial birth dose. I'm surprised more don't refuse it! Especially low risk families.

Ditto on this! :up:

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