Mandatory Flu shots

Nurses COVID

Published

sooooo...what are your thoughts of mandatory Flu shots for health care workers? we got the ultimatum....get the shot or get the ax. So I got my first ever flu shot yesterday. just sitting arround waiting to get sick now!!!!!

Wake up people. The USA is not as free as it once was, and I am amazed at the population who seem to not mind one bit as long as they feel "safe." We are losing our freedoms, and a mandatory flu shot may not seem like a big deal to some, and to others a good idea, but anytime I am told I HAVE to do something like this my red American blood boils.

Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death! Patrick Henry, March 23, 1775

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Specializes in CTICU.
I got the flu shot once and was sick for 5 months afterward. Of course it is an inactive virus but it can still deplete your immune system... I got EVERYTHING else. I had a new virus every 2 weeks! I got the flu last year and was sick for 2 weeks period. I think I'd rather take my chances!

How exactly does the flu shot "deplete your immune system"??

I don't understand this thread. Is the shot a problem because it's mandatory? Or because you're opposed to vaccination? Or this particular vaccination? People posted that the vax is in testing phases.. no, it's not. The OP said she got the regular Fluvax.

It seems a rather tenuous link between an employer requiring its staff to have a flu shot that has been shown to reduce the mortality in patients, and the ending of your constitutional freedoms. The shots are only "mandatory" for employees - all of whom are free to refuse and go work elsewhere. Employers have a right to make policies for their staff. People have a right not to work there. See? Freedom all around.

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The shots are only "mandatory" for employees - all of whom are free to refuse and go work elsewhere. Employers have a right to make policies for their staff. People have a right not to work there. See? Freedom all around.

People also like to put food on their tables, and it is not so easy to find another job in the current economy. In this country we should be able to live without the threat of any entity, public or private, mandating what we put in our bodies against losing our means of supporting ourselves and families.

If they are allowed to do this, what is next?

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Specializes in Med/Surge, Psych, LTC, Home Health.

There's nothing not to understand; the OP is upset that her hospital is telling her that she MUST be stuck with a vaccine that can cause some at least feeling of illness. They aren't giving her a choice.

Given that most hospitals already make their employees take yearly TB skin tests, in addition to other vaccines such as the Hepatitis B series and Pertussis... I don't have a problem with being told that I have to have the flu shot. But that's just me.

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Specializes in Critical Care,Recovery, ED.

"The last time I checked, this is the United States. We have choices here."

Yes we have choices, the employer does also. Employers have the right to mandate the injection (in this instance I feel it is a wrong mandate). Your choice will then be to take the injection or find other employment.

There are many instances where mandatory use of vaccines is appropriate. The military does it all the time, government workers in foreign service are but a few examples.

As I have said I feel the mandatory use of flu vaccines, especially the H1N1 is wrong and rather stupid position for an employer to take. As the benefits do not outweigh the risks.

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I'm just trying to figure out where in my career I have lost my autonomy of making my own health care decisions.

So....the inpatients can refuse the flu or pneumonia vaccine but I can't? And people think that's okay? :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

I don't really care about the regular flu vaccine. No big deal. The word that is coming out from our infection control department is that we will be mandated to receive the H1N1 vaccine. I will not take this vaccine at this point in time. ACLU and the local media here we come!

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Specializes in MSP, Informatics.
OP, I'm curious, has anyone been fired at this point? I would love to see the ACLU have a field day with the hospital who claims to be about patient rights force this upon employees.

The actual date for the deadline is Sept 11. It will be interesting to see what disciplinary action if any the hospital takes on those that refuse.

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Specializes in ICU, ED, PACU.

Why was a post about an Influenza A/B vaccine moved to the H1N1 forum? They are very, very different. The vaccine is very very different. This is going to cause confusion about some unholy hospital mandating vaccinations with an experimental H1N1 vaccine.

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Specializes in M/S, MICU, CVICU, SICU, ER, Trauma, NICU.
"The last time I checked, this is the United States. We have choices here."

Yes we have choices, the employer does also. Employers have the right to mandate the injection (in this instance I feel it is a wrong mandate). Your choice will then be to take the injection or find other employment.

There are many instances where mandatory use of vaccines is appropriate. The military does it all the time, government workers in foreign service are but a few examples.

As I have said I feel the mandatory use of flu vaccines, especially the H1N1 is wrong and rather stupid position for an employer to take. As the benefits do not outweigh the risks.

Military: PUBLIC/GOVERNMENT employment. YOU signed your life away working for them.

The OP works for what (I am speculating) a private hospital. They are not looking out for HER, they are looking out for themselves, using the "cover" as patients.

I know this trick. This isn't about the patients alone, this is about making sure their costs are kept down. BOTTOM LINE.

It isn't that nurses shouldn't take the flu shot, but utilizing FEAR of job loss is NOT the basis of our society and it is wrong.

There are many of us who cannot take the flu shot, it doesn't meant that we don't want to, but we just can't. So what do you do with those nurses? Take THEIR jobs away?

You have two issues here: 1. the right to make a choice 2. the right to impose a mandate. Who will win?

I choose to take shots. But no one should MAKE me--this is MY body. NOT the hospital's....

Oh and will they make the patients take flu shots too or they won't get treated? Is that next? Because that would make sense to me.....if you impose on one, why not impose on all?

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Specializes in ICU, ED, PACU.
But no one should MAKE me--this is MY body. NOT the hospital's

No one should force you to take the shot. Just like no patients should be forced to be provided care by someone who can kill them. Unvacinated health care providers kill.

I'm blunt because this is a serious problem that causes unnecessary deaths.

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Specializes in M/S, MICU, CVICU, SICU, ER, Trauma, NICU.
No one should force you to take the shot. Just like no patients should be forced to be provided care by someone who can kill them. Unvacinated health care providers kill.

I'm blunt because this is a serious problem that causes unnecessary deaths.

HERE is the problem with your logic.

The problem is that you cannot DISPROVE that the virus was NOT given by the GENERAL PUBLIC. Unless we totally isolate EVERYONE on this planet, this flu will continue to be passed along. It is a pandemic.

UNVACCINATED ANYONE kills.

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Specializes in ICU, ED, PACU.
HERE is the problem with your logic.

The problem is that you cannot DISPROVE that the virus was NOT given by the GENERAL PUBLIC. Unless we totally isolate EVERYONE on this planet, this flu will continue to be passed along. It is a pandemic.

UNVACCINATED ANYONE kills.

Vaccinating HCP reduces mortality rates. This has been proven. Let me cite some research for you.

Influenza Vaccination of Health Care Workers in Long-Term-Care Hospitals Reduces the Mortality of Elderly Patients - Potter et al shows a decline in mortality rates.

Requiring influenza vaccination for health care workers: seven truths we must accept. - Poland et al. This shows that vaccination of HCP saves lives, and that HCP ignorance kills.

Vaccinating healthcare workers against influenza to protect the vulnerable--Is it a good use of healthcare resources?: A systematic review of the evidence and an economic evaluation. - Burls et al. This is an analysis of 18 seperate studys showing that the vaccine saves lives (and money).

Maybe institutions only care about the all mighty dollar that they save by reducing sick time or unpaid medicare bills of nosocomial influenza. Maybe they are all big jerks. That is errelevant. We as HCP have a duty to protect our patients. There is nothing I can do if you are unwilling to read the research or understand the pathophysiology of influenza. To me, unvacinated HCP are like parents not using a child safety seat. Its just not right.

There is a lot of research done on this topic. The general consensus is that the immunization of HCP saves lives. We are suposed to be evidance based providers of care. If you are against getting vaccinated, please take just a bit of time and educate yourself as to the consiquences.

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