Nurse fired for refusing flu shot

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Specializes in Critical Care, Flight Nursing.
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/12/29/pregnant-nurse-fired-after-refusing-flu-shot-due-to-miscarriage-fears/Just Just curious. What are your thoughts on this? Should an employer be able to force an employee to accept a medical intervention?
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Specializes in Inpatient Oncology/Public Health.

You're much more likely to acquire flu and have serious complications including death if you acquire flu while pregnant. Even with my history of multiple miscarriages, I got both flu and Tdap vaccines while pregnant to protect myself and my baby(some immunity is conveyed to the fetus as well which is important if they are born during flu season as they can't be vaccinated right away.) So I am all for flu vaccines while pregnant and think it's even more important to have one as you're in a high risk group. As far as getting fired, that part is definitely more controversial. But we do have many vaccines that are required of us as part of our jobs and if they are not contraindicated during pregnancy, there are consequences to not taking them. I work Oncology, so very vulnerable patient population.

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Specializes in Emergency, Telemetry, Transplant.

Does it seem like there is almost a weekly thread on AN on this (or very similar) topics? Therefore, I choose not to get involve.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, High-Risk L&D, Antepartum, L.

That representative is just ridiculous with his comment.

I'm an RN...I still have rights. I have a right to refuse a vaccination. I can't post them now but studies are showing that vaccination of healthcare workers doesn't do anything and initial studies were flawed.

We have rights and we don't give them up when we get our RN. I hope she sues and wins.

I am thankful I had a reaction to it and can no longer get it.

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I asked my boyfriend who is more opinionated than me and he said, "no definitely not." I've gotten a flu shot every year since I've been a teenager because my brother was neutropenic growing up, so it's no skin off my back. I suppose the principal of it is a little disturbing, though.

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.
That representative is just ridiculous with his comment.

I'm an RN...I still have rights. I have a right to refuse a vaccination. I can't post them now but studies are showing that vaccination of healthcare workers doesn't do anything and initial studies were flawed.

We have rights and we don't give them up when we get our RN. I hope she sues and wins.

I am thankful I had a reaction to it and can no longer get it.

You don't give up your right to refuse a vaccination. However, the employer does have the right to set conditions of employment and terminate employees who do not meet them. Rights are a two-way street.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

moved tp pandemic flu for best response

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Specializes in Pediatrics, High-Risk L&D, Antepartum, L.
You don't give up your right to refuse a vaccination. However the employer does have the right to set conditions of employment and terminate employees who do not meet them. Rights are a two-way street.[/quote']

The theory that I'm supposed to get this vaccine just because I'm a healthcare working is asking me to give up my right. Why don't we just mandate it for all humans? Sound good? Oh while we are at it mandate any vaccine they want. Sound good? We always argue rights on both sides for any topic. I mean doesn't the hospital have a right to not hire short people because they are an inconvenience? We had one nurse who couldn't reach stuff. They should fire her because she needs assistance. They have that right...correct? Same idea.

Forced vaccination of healthcare workers isn't okay.

But again...I'm lucky because it can't get it according to my doctor. Thank goodness!

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.
That representative is just ridiculous with his comment. I'm an RN...I still have rights. I have a right to refuse a vaccination. I can't post them now but studies are showing that vaccination of healthcare workers doesn't do anything and initial studies were flawed. We have rights and we don't give them up when we get our RN. I hope she sues and wins. I am thankful I had a reaction to it and can no longer get it.

Which requirements are you willing to allow the employer to have? The requirement that you don't endanger the patients by coming to work while intoxicated?

The requirement that you possess a valid nursing license and therefore lessen the odds of endangering the patients?

Oh wait - we don't have any say-so in these matters, do we? If we don't like the conditions, we don't have to work there.

Same old tired, flawed argument. If you don't meet the requirements of the position, move on. Please don't waste anyone's resources (including your own) by filing frivolous lawsuits.

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Specializes in Anesthesia.
That representative is just ridiculous with his comment.

I'm an RN...I still have rights. I have a right to refuse a vaccination. I can't post them now but studies are showing that vaccination of healthcare workers doesn't do anything and initial studies were flawed.

We have rights and we don't give them up when we get our RN. I hope she sues and wins.

I am thankful I had a reaction to it and can no longer get it.

Everyone has a right to refuse vaccinations, but your employer also has the right to terminate your employment d/t your refusal.

By the way I would be more than happy to dispute and debate any scientific peer-reviewed studies that vaccination of healthcare workers do not work. More than likely this is not a valid study and is nothing more than a commentary from a anti-vaccine site.

[h=1]Selected Publications on Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness[/h]

Ahmed AH, Nicholson KG, Nguyen-van Tam JS, et al. Effectiveness of influenza vaccine in reducing hospital admissions during the 1989-90 epidemic. Epidemiol Infect 1997; 118:27-33. icon_pdf.gificon_out.png

Arden NH, Patriarca PA, and Kendal AP. Options for the Control of Influenza: Experiences in the use and efficacy of inactivated influenza vaccine in nursing homes. UCLA Symposia on Molecular and Cellular Biology 1985; 36: 155-168. Print.

Ashkenazi S, Vertruyen A, Arístegui J, et al. Superior relative efficacy of live attenuated influenza vaccine compared with inactivated influenza vaccine in young children with recurrent respiratory tract infections. Pediatr Infect Dis J 2006; 25(10):870-9icon_out.png.

Barker WH. Excess pneumonia and influenza associated hospitalization during influenza epidemics in the United States. Am. J Public Health 1986; 76:761-5. icon_pdf.gificon_out.png

Barker WH, Mullooly JP. Influenza vaccination of elderly persons: reduction in pneumonia and influenza hospitalizations and deaths. JAMA 1980; 244(22): 2547-9.icon_out.png

Baxter, Roger et al. Effect of influenza vaccination on hospitalizations in persons aged 50 years and older. Vaccine 2010; 28: 7267-7272.icon_out.png

Belshe RB, Mendelman PM, Treanor, et al. The efficacy of live attenuated, cold-adapted, trivalent, intranasal influenza virus vaccine in children. N Engl J Med. 1998; 338(20):1405-12icon_out.png.

Belshe RB, Gruber WC. Prevention of otitis media in children with live attenuated influenza vaccine given intranasally. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2000; 19(5 Suppl):S66-71icon_out.png.

Belshe RB, Edwards KM, Vesikari T, et al. Comparative Efficacy Study Group. Live attenuated versus inactivated influenza vaccine in infants and young children. N Engl J Med. 2007; 356(7):685-96.icon_out.png

Beran J, Vesikari T, Wertzova V, et al. Efficacy of inactivated split-virus influenza vaccine against culture-confirmed influenza in healthy adults: a prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. J Infect Dis 2009; 200(12):1861-9.icon_out.png

Bragstad K, Emborg HD, Fischer TK, et al. Low vaccine effectiveness against influenza A(H3N2) virus among elderly people in Denmark in 2012/13-A rapid epidemiological and virological assessment. Eurosurveillance 2013; 18(6)icon_out.png.

Bridges CB, Thompson WW, Meltzer MI, et al. Effectiveness and cost-benefit of influenza vaccination of healthy working adults: A randomized controlled trial. JAMA 2000; 284(13):1655-63icon_out.png.

CDC - Selected Publications on Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness | Seasonal Influenza (Flu)

There is about 30 more studies on this link alone.

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Specializes in Anesthesia.
The theory that I'm supposed to get this vaccine just because I'm a healthcare working is asking me to give up my right. Why don't we just mandate it for all humans? Sound good? Oh while we are at it mandate any vaccine they want. Sound good? We always argue rights on both sides for any topic. I mean doesn't the hospital have a right to not hire short people because they are an inconvenience? We had one nurse who couldn't reach stuff. They should fire her because she needs assistance. They have that right...correct? Same idea.

Forced vaccination of healthcare workers isn't okay.

But again...I'm lucky because it can't get it according to my doctor. Thank goodness!

No one is forcing you to get the vaccine, but if you want to work for the hospital then you will be vaccinated.

You have the right to not get the vaccine and the hospital has the right not to continue your employment. No forced vaccinations at all.

Why should a hospital want to continue employing healthcare providers that have a complete disregard for their patients and coworkers safety by refusing vaccines (and no hand washing and masks are not an acceptable substitutes)or who fails to utilize EBP?

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Specializes in Anesthesia.
https://allnurses.com/pandemic-flu/pregnant-nurse-fired-894843.html Here is the other thread on this topic, and a more detailed account of what happened.
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