Is it impossible to get a nursing job without vaccines?

[thequestionguy007]

I am interested in changing my career to RN but, I am not interested in getting all the vaccines. I will be filing the Gov. exempt form but, I don't know if my choice to refuse the vaccines will effect my chances of getting a job in this field.

[Horseshoe, BSN, RN]

Vaccines of any kind, are never "required" by law.

You are legally able to and can refuse any and all vaccines.

That's true. It's also true that a school or facility can require vaccines as a condition of employment or ability to do clinicals. The nurse then has the choice NOT to work for that facility or attend that nursing school.

[Horseshoe, BSN, RN]

there are several cultural and religious groups that do not vaccinate, or do not subscribe to some generally accepted medical treatment (receiving blood, for example). it does not mean that members of these groups are not allowed to become nurses, or that they do not have the potential to be excellent nurses.

how many fat nurses do we have? smokers? people who don't exercise? don't eat veggies? are these people also not allowed to become nurses, because they are not living the pure, health promoting lifestyle?

those conditions above are not contagious, so an employer/educator is less likely to make an issue of it.

a nurse who does not vaccinate cannot be prevented from taking and passing the nclex. no one is forced to hire them, either. you cannot use religious objections to vaccines as a way to require an entity to hire you, nor can they hold you down and force a needle into your arm. it's all about choice.

so to stay on topic, the op will possibly limit his opportunities for employment. in a good market, he may not even feel the sting of that choice at all. in a bad market, he's possibly watching lots of others who don't have issues with getting the very few vaccines that would be required take all the great jobs. it's impossible to say on this day absolutely what will be the case when and if he decides to go for it.

[MadpeysRN]

I am pretty sure you have to get them to even get into nursing school. I did.

[psu_213, BSN, RN]

I just mentioned this is part of another discussion and I will mention it again..

At one of the facilities for which is was scheduled for clinicals they recently had pts/families/staff/etc. brining in some of the diseases against which we can vaccinate (diptheria, mumps, etc.). They required all staff and anyone doing clinicals there to be vaccinated and to have the titers to prove they were vaccinated. My titer was low for one of the MMR illnesses. My choices: get an MMR vaccine within the next 3 days (which was when my first clinical at the hospital was going to start) or don't come to clinicals (and be politely excused from the program).

[SweettartRN]

Scary that an employer can tell you what to do with your body and your immune system. What's next? Forced loyalty tattoos?

[psu_213, BSN, RN]

Scary that an employer can tell you what to do with your body and your immune system. What's next? Forced loyalty tattoos?

Yikes! I hardly see the connection between immunizations and the tattoo...not even a valid comparison. I think the hospital is totally within in rights to help prevent an employee from bringing a communicable disease into their facility.

[ckh23, BSN, RN]

Scary that an employer can tell you what to do with your body and your immune system. What's next? Forced loyalty tattoos?

Your comparing apples to oranges. No employer can tell you what to do with your body. However they can have requirements for jobs, just like any other job. Do you think it is any different that a employer require that someone can lift 30lbs for a warehouse job? If you can't meet the requirements you can't work there.

No one can force you to do anything. The OP has a choice, either get vaccinated or look for a different position that will accommodate his decision not to get immunized.

[Music in My Heart]

Vaccines of any kind, are never "required" by law.

You are legally able to and can refuse any and all vaccines.

An at-will employer can choose whether to hire or retain said refuser.

[Dazglue, ADN, BSN, MSN, RN]

I couldn't even start nursing school w/o certain vaccines.

[RN_2012, BSN, RN]

They might not be required by law but good luck finding a nursing school that will let you in without them. The clinical sites can have stricter rules for students then their employees. Clinical sites won't let you do clinical without all the required vaccines or titers.