Is there really no way to refuse a mandatory flu shot?

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Besides the medical and religious reasons which are clearly only for a rare few, is there really no hope for the healthcare occupation and those who refuse under all circumstances to get a flu shot? I was looking online to find some solutions on how to opt out, but unusually I was not able to find any type of viable solution that I could particularly use except for possibly lying which may or may still not even work.

Gestapo at its finest. Lets just hope another vocation is hiring. Clearly this isnt the field for me, or at least the particular facility.

Specializes in Emergency, Telemetry, Transplant.
I'm a little scared of how easily so many of you are able to give up your bodily autonomy.

Do fight employee health every time they tell you that you must get a Mantoux test?

My hospital only stocks one brand of liquid soap. If the company that produces that soap is involved in some type of activity that I find unethical (say mistreatment of animals by a subsidiary in Asia), does that mean I can refuse to wash my hands with their soap? After all, I don't want to stain my body with with the blood of those animals they mistreated.

I can sorta understand some arguments again taking the flu shot. I certainly understand if you are allergic/intolerant to the vaccine. However, the "bodily autonomy" argument just does not fly in this circumstance.

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Specializes in ER, progressive care.

At my hospital, there are exceptions for religious reasons or allergies, but that allergy must be documented from your PCP. If you refuse the flu shot, you need to wear a mask whenever you're within 6 feet of a patient. If you're out in triage, that means wearing a mask the entire shift. Management, supervisors and the charge nurses kept tabs on those who didn't have their flu shot and if they were caught not wearing a mask, disciplinary action would be taking including up to termination. Some of my coworkers opted to use the mask but after a few shifts they said to heck with it, they weren't going to wear a mask for 12+ hours and decided to get their flu shot.

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Specializes in cardiac, ICU, education.
Some of my coworkers opted to use the mask but after a few shifts they said to heck with it, they weren't going to wear a mask for 12+ hours and decided to get their flu shot.

I do not like wearing the mask and gloves either, until recently that is. I can't get the flu shot so I always wear masks and gloves as well. Recently in one of my hospitals, there was an outbreak of norovirus. 6 confirmed cases and at least 6 others were home sick before they knew what they contracted. Now I don't mind wearing either because the flu is only one of the few things that can make us sick, I prefer to be protected from most of them.

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Specializes in critical care.
I read that masks are only effective for 5 minutes. So all these policies about wearing a mask are pointless. I understand that we work with vulnerable patients but I still don't agree that we should be mandated to be vaccinated against anything. I'm one of those people who can't convert: my heb B vaccines don't work. Why should I keep getting this series of shots, which contain God only knows what awful chemicals, when it won't work for me? I'm worried I'll have to keep going through this every time I get a new job or apply for grad school. There should be a law to protect people like me, but big pharm likes all the money they make from people like me, so I'm sure that law will never occur. I also don't want the flu shot. Shouldn't washing my hands and using standard protections like gloves and covering my cough be good enough to prevent infection? I think it's all a way to get $$$ for big pham. Wasn't the 2012 flu shot only 53% effective because the researchers guessed the wrong flu strain? Should I be forced to put something in my body that only has a 53% chance of working, considering it could also out me at risk for Guillian-Barre and contains god-knows-what? I'm a little scared of how easily so many of you are able to give up your bodily autonomy.[/quote']

You do realize there IS a law to protect "people like you", right? Right to refusal.

I'd like to read the thing you read that says masks are only effective for 5 minutes.

Document your lack of converting through your PCP is all you need to get clearance at jobs and grad school. Hep B protects you, generally. Unless you plan on exposing your patients to your blood.

How is it even possible to know a percentage of effectiveness of the flu shot? I'd like to read where you found that, too.

And finally, bodily autonomy? Really? So you're another person who feels my preference to not contract and transmit the flu makes me sheeple? I have to tell you - I've sat on both sides of the fence in this debate. The side that bullies, condescends, and spreads inaccurate information the most is the anti-vax side. If you're going to oppose it, them fine, but use accurate, well rounded information to declare your opposition, and don't talk down to or insult the other side just because they feel differently. I think it's pretty obvious that this message board is filled with educated consumers of healthcare. Not sheeple. They will also take the time to present well-researched information with sources to back them up. "I heard somewhere that...." isn't a valid way if backing up your opinion. Anecdote doesn't prove anything.

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Specializes in Anesthesia.
I do not like wearing the mask and gloves either, until recently that is. I can't get the flu shot so I always wear masks and gloves as well. Recently in one of my hospitals, there was an outbreak of norovirus. 6 confirmed cases and at least 6 others were home sick before they knew what they contracted. Now I don't mind wearing either because the flu is only one of the few things that can make us sick, I prefer to be protected from most of them.

We had the norovirus made its' rounds through Sheppard AFB back in the early 2000s and at the time it was the largest USAF technical training base. We treated a couple of thousand people over the course of 3-4 days. The smell in the hospital was something I won't soon forget….lol.

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Specializes in Anesthesia.

How is it even possible to know a percentage of effectiveness of the flu shot? I'd like to read where you found that, too.

Each influenza vaccine has post survelliance studies done to see what the effectiveness was along with many other factors. A lot depends on the persons overall health and age as to how effective the influenza vaccine will be. The other important factor to note is that even if the vaccine did not stop someone from getting influenza it will often lessen the severity. CDC - Vaccine Effectiveness - How Well Does the Flu Vaccine Work? | Seasonal Influenza (Flu)

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Specializes in critical care.
Each influenza vaccine has post survelliance studies done to see what the effectiveness was along with many other factors. A lot depends on the persons overall health and age as to how effective the influenza vaccine will be. The other important factor to note is that even if the vaccine did not stop someone from getting influenza it will often lessen the severity. CDC - Vaccine Effectiveness - How Well Does the Flu Vaccine Work? | Seasonal Influenza (Flu)

That's pretty interesting. Thank you for sharing it. I wonder if it's the same 5 states they investigate effectiveness in, or if it changes.

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Specializes in Anesthesia.
That's pretty interesting. Thank you for sharing it. I wonder if it's the same 5 states they investigate effectiveness in, or if it changes.

Influenza Vaccines: From Surveillance Through Production to Protection More than you probably ever wanted to know about the flu vaccine from survelliance to strain selection and effectiveness.

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It's pretty scary to read some of these posts. Does it not matter to anyone the effectiveness of this vaccine? Or the long term effects of it? Yes, I do get that patient safety is of upmost importance but, getting a flu shot to uphold that is just a farce. There are hundreds of strains of the flu each season, countless other bacterial infections, and we are relying on one "super vaccine" that happens to be less than 60% effective and contain only 3 strains? What happened to EBP?

This vaccine is not like getting the Hep. B, polio, MMR, or any other childhood vaccine because unlike the flu shot, those are actually EFFECTIVE! I'm on board with the menningococcal vaccine which is only effective for about 5-10 years. But, at least with that particular vaccine, you are actually immuring yourself from a deadly disease.

Most people who get the flu will recover, for a small few there are complications. And that is why I believe those people who are immunocompromised, such as those in hospitals, should be encouraged to get vaccinated (just for the sake of saying you tried, I guess). However, it should be an OPTION!

Most healthcare professionals know better to stay home when feeling sick, and to really feed into the hype how about everyone walk around with masks and gloves. The flu is transmitted by droplets, up to 3 feet. Why don't we all walk around with masks and gloves at least that practice has been proven to be effective!

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Specializes in Emergency, Telemetry, Transplant.
But, at least with that particular vaccine, you are actually immuring yourself from a deadly disease.

You do realize that the flu is deadly...and not just for those who are immunocompromised? I'm sure someone has the exact stats, but I would not write death off just by saying it is a "complication."

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You do realize that the flu is deadly...and not just for those who are immunocompromised? I'm sure someone has the exact stats, but I would not write death off just by saying it is a "complication."

I do realize the flu can be deadly. But, how many healthy people do you know really got the flu, A., or B. died from it? All I was saying, is that the chances of serious complications or even death is significantly higher, with the other diseases, thus it makes sense to be vaccinated for them.

Aside from that.. they have a proven track record to work. Can you say as much for the the flu shot?

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Specializes in Emergency, Telemetry, Transplant.
I do realize the flu can be deadly. But, how many healthy people do you know really got the flu, A., or B. died from it? All I was saying, is that the chances of serious complications or even death is significantly higher, with the other diseases, thus it makes sense to be vaccinated for them.

Aside from that.. they have a proven track record to work. Can you say as much for the the flu shot?

Working in the ER, I don't usually see if these people die...I just see them get intubated and end up in an ICU. I know this is just a little complication and if they don't die, no big deal.

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