Mandatory Flu vaccine

caroladybelle, BSN, RN · Aug 30, 2009

And the problem is?

CrunchyMama, ASN, RN · Aug 30, 2009

Last week in class, we were informed by my instructor that all hospital employees are now required to get the flu shot (including us students). I plan on fighting it. Ridiculous!

ukstudent · Aug 30, 2009

We have just been informed of the same thing. Mandatory seasonal flu shots. No word on if the H1N1 flu vacine will be mandatory as well or not.

Hospital's require that everyone be vacinated aginst Hep B, have adequate titers against MMR, Chicken pox etc., and have annual PPD's. This has just been added as a condition of employment. I have been told that there are only 2 reasons that are allowed for not getting the flu shot. 1. religous - in which case it should be already noted in your personel file. I got told they would look sideways at any new conversons. 2. medical - such as an egg allergy.

To CrunchyMama, hospitals can make the same demands of any student coming on to their property for clinicals. No shot, no clinicals, no nursing school.

Blindsided · Aug 30, 2009

I will NOT take a mandatory vaccine, except under my own volition, in which case it would not be mandatory :)

theatredork · Aug 31, 2009

I've heard this from a few people, but where is this information coming from. I checked the NYS health department website and didn't really see anything about mandatory influenza vaccinations for healthcare workers.

ukstudent · Aug 31, 2009

I work in Washington D.C. This could be coming from the state, but I think it is coming from Joint Commission.

JC last year started a "flu challenge" for hospitals. Hospitals had to show that every heathcare worker was offered the flu shot and to increase the percentage getting the shot.

My hospital last year made everyone do an online flu education and then if you decided not to get the flu shot you have to sign a paper saying that you had been given information about the benifits/risks and had decided not to get the shot.

This year the J.C. has increased the percentage of healthcare workers getting the shot required to meet their goal. The 2008-2009 goal was >43%. This year 2009-2010it is > 65 or 75 or 90%, depending on what the hospital acheived last year. I think that some hospitals in order to make J.C. happy are making the flu shot manditory. As this will increase the percentage getting the shot.

http://www.jcrinc.com/Audio-Conferences-Web-Conferences/Flu-Vaccination-Challenge/Resources/

llg, PhD, RN · Aug 31, 2009

ukstudent stated my hospital's way of thinking perfectly. We have required several immunizations for many years. We don't see this one as being significantly different -- and just added influenza to our required list. If you want to work in our hospital (either a an employee or as a student), you'll have to get it unless you have a strong and well-documented reason not to.

Of course, people are free to refuse -- but we are also free to not allow those people the privilege of working in our facility. We are free to choose to not entrust them with the care of our patients.

CrunchRN, ADN, RN · Aug 31, 2009

No one likes to be told what to do, but if your work place requires it and you want to work there then just suck it up and take the shot.

I do see the point about the need to protect immune compromised patients as much as possible.

CrunchyMama, ASN, RN · Aug 31, 2009

Every state has some sort of waiver for the refusal for vaccines....either religious, medical or philosophical. I'm assuming since it's like this for children to get into school then employers have to except the waivers as well. I'm not letting anyone scare me into getting a vaccine that I feel is useless, not to mention the ingredients of this vaccine and others. I think it's a violation to pretend to make it mandatory....they should say "it's a choice". I think it's ridiculous that I have to go through so much trouble to get out of it. It used to be, you check "no" on the paper and that was it. :/

ukstudent · Sep 1, 2009

I don't think it's the State. I think it's the Hospitals. And yes you have a choice to say no. Just as the Hospital has the choice not to employ you or let you do clinicals.

CrunchyMama, ASN, RN · Sep 1, 2009

Since it's the law....can they really deny me to do clinicals or for an employee to work there? Doesn't sound right and I don't think they can do that. Just like the schools can't deny my child from going to school because of me refusing vaccines. I mean, I'm assuming it's the same things...but I'll find out.