Nurse Fired For Refusing To Get a H1N1 Vaccine or Wear Mask

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A nurse who did not want a swine flu vaccine, was fired after refusing to wear a mask.

http://www.statesman.com/news/local/nurse-fired-over-refusal-to-get-flu-shot-168154.html

Some Central Texas hospitals required employees to get flu vaccinations this year or wear masks while working with patients as the H1N1 swine flu virus spread and seasonal flu loomed. One nurse at the Seton Family of Hospitals was fired for refusing to do either.

What do you guys think? She seems a bit out of it, in my opinion. Just unwilling to comply with perfectly reasonable requests.

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Specializes in LTC.

I don't think employees should be forced to get the vaccine, because some people really do have deep personal beliefs about it. However, to not wear a mask? I think that is a reasonable request. Not a big deal; based solely on what I read of your post, I don't have much sympathy for her.

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I'm quite willing to take this fool's job.

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Specializes in Emergency/Trauma/Education.

The options were presented to her. She made her choice.

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Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.

I don't think the request was "reasonable". No one should be forced to take the vaccine. I didn't take it and will never take it. As for wearing a mask, well she's just plain stupid for not wearing one.

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Specializes in LTC.
I don't think the request was "reasonable". No one should be forced to take the vaccine. I didn't take it and will never take it. As for wearing a mask, well she's just plain stupid for not wearing one.

I meant the request to wear a mask was reasonable. :) Nobody should be fired for refusing a vaccine.

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Employees forced to quit:

Employees Resign

http://www.kulr8.com/news/local/81295157.html

By Kyle Midura

BILLINGS - Could you lose your job for refusing to get an H1N1 vaccination? If you work in the health services field, it's a real possibility. Riverstone Health confirms officials asked four employees who refused to get vaccinated to resign or retire. "The best way to stop influenza epidemics is to get vaccinated," said Riverstone Health Board Member Michael Dennis.

snip

Several wrongful termination lawyers we consulted with and said Montana employers must demonstrate “good cause” in order to fire a worker. However, they said vague phrasing leaves the law open to many interpretations.

Riverstone Health officials said employees were not fired. They resigned or retired, a distinction under the law.

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Specializes in LTC.

Here's a new can of worms (I'm out of work and bored heh heh): Should an employee receive sick pay if he/she refuses the flu vaccine and it is then determined said employee has the flu? Discuss. :devil:

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Specializes in Medical, Peds, Surgical, Clinic.

What if you get the H1N1 vaccination and then get sick, will the hospital pay you with your earned sick pay, or your earned time off ? I would think not ,because you sign and agree to take a chance with the vaccine when you get it. Health workers are placed in all kinds of situations and exposed to all kinds of diseases.

I think it is wrong to force people to have a vaccination. We do not force our patients, they have rights and I think so do health care workers. The health care workers understand the risks if they chose not to wear a mask or get the H1N1.

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Specializes in Too many to list.
Here's a new can of worms (I'm out of work and bored heh heh): Should an employee receive sick pay if he/she refuses the flu vaccine and it is then determined said employee has the flu? Discuss. :devil:

At my work place, if you refused the vaccine, and you test positive for novel H1N1, it is no longer considered an excused absence. That is the official word. You can use your sick leave, but it counts against you.

A third wave is expected, but no one really knows what will happen. The disease is busy infecting Asia, and eastern Europe right now. There have been over 940 fatalities in the Ukraine as of 12 January with 4 million people infected there. India, and China are being hit with their hugh populations of billions of people.

Getting vaccinated ASAP would be wise as it takes 3 to 4 weeks to produce protective antibodies. Worried about getting the injection? There have been remarkably few complaints from those of us that have received it.

https://allnurses.com/pandemic-flu-forum/have-you-had-436684.html

https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-discussion/if-you-have-436794.html

Perhaps you would rather take your chances with the flu virus? Maybe you will be OK, and maybe you won't. Lots of folks were sick but survived. And then there were those with no health issues that had severe cases. It seems completely random, and there is no way to tell if you will be one of the very unlucky people that have to be hospitalized.

Just because you never knowingly got the flu before does not mean that you won't this time, especially if there are many cases in the community. Magical thinking is not going to protect you.

https://allnurses.com/pandemic-flu-forum/no-prior-existing-400466.html

Tested positive or think that you already had the flu? The majority of cases have not been tested so you don't really know. And, even positive confirmed cases can be reinfected as well. https://allnurses.com/pandemic-flu-forum/can-you-get-437207.html

With luck, the swine virus will not come back, but that does not seem very likely. There is very little seasonal flu out there anywhere. China had reported some H3N2 and seasonal H1N1, but we are not hearing of it anywhere else. Very possibly the seasonal flu has been replaced by the novel H1N1, and the flu season is not over yet.

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Specializes in LTC.

FWIW: In October, the employer I had at the time told us at orientation that the only flu outbreaks thus far were swine flu. Interesting. Thanks for the post, Indigo!

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tested positive or think that you already had the flu? the majority of cases have not been tested so you don't really know. and, even positive confirmed cases can be reinfected as well. https://allnurses.com/pandemic-flu-fo...et-437207.html

if the disease itself doesn't profer protection, why in heaven's name should we think the vacine will?!!!

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