Is your Facility 'forcing' you to get the Flu Vaccine?

[madwife2002]

My company have a new policy that if you do not want to receive the flu vaccine this year by end November, then you have to wear a mask within 6 feet of all patients.

So they are not saying you have to have the flu vaccine but if you don't then you have to wear a mask at all times!

The local hospital was on the news this week saying if staff refuse to get the flu shot then their contract will be terminated. As we work in an at will state then this apparently is legal.

I chose to take the flu shot, but the rest of the staff feel they are being bullied into doing it. For me it is just not possible to wear a mask 24/7 when with the patients.

[Brightfuture4us]

Colorado healthcare workers to be fired if they refuse mandatory flu shots

An article about this very debate happening in Colorado. I just wish that western medicine would work on building up the immune systems the right way. EmmaZ...I understand that you passionatly debate your position. You are not going to change my mind...nor me yours. We simply disagree. What is right for one is not right for another. This is why we all have the right to decide what we will or will not accept for ourselves and our families. This take the shot or lose your job mentality is but one symptom of a much larger problem. I do not want to bore anyone or distract from the op's original post. I wish everyone the best outcomes for whatever decision they make on this topic!

[EmmaZ06]

You are right, we are not going to change each others minds, but I really hope that you take our this thread into consideration when making decisions. There is nothing wrong with boosting your immune system. Not all alternative therapies are fake, but not all mainstream medicine is bad for you either. My biggest problem is with so called "studies" is that they scare people into making uninformed medical decisions. I have read so many "scientific" articles against the flu shot that have no real basis. Too many people are mistaking psudoscience for real dangers. I understand that science will keep changing, but the fact that there are mercury and aluminum free influenza vaccines available will not change. As nurses it is our job to keep up to date and informed about the medications we are administering.

[Brightfuture4us]

Emma...they are not UNINFORMED...they are DIFFERENT from yours...MY choice is NOT to vaccinate...so here we go round the mulberry bush...If you want to PM we can go over and over and over...my views are not changed...Thankfully I won't have to administer meds for long...RN is just a means to an end for me and my field won't deal with much of that. You are as hard headed as I am lol. ANYHoooo being up to date on meds you administer and being FORCED to take vaccine for yourself...NOT the same! I also never said that ALL mainstream medicine is bad but there sure is a lot of it that is not what it should be...another topic though.