Nurse fired for refusing flu shot

Nurses COVID

Published

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?
Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.
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.[/quote']

I know, but I had to; couldn't resist. :cheeky:

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.
So long as you're prepared to read/accept the rebuttals/reproof that will come and that will disprove the anecdotal "studies" that provide the majority of the anti-vaccine minority with its "evidence." *****And I'm pretty sure that "caring about ME first" IS the definition of disregard for patients.****

THIS. :yes:

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.
I think life comes with consequences. I never said all consequences were fair. I don't believe this is a fair consequence.

That sounds like a paradox. :wacky:

Consequences are consequences....there is not degree of fairness to them. :blink:

As stated before, if one chooses to not to get vaccinated or the wonderful examples Sweet Wild Rose gave, you ALWAYS have a CHOICE to work elsewhere.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, High-Risk L&D, Antepartum, L.
That sounds like a paradox. :wacky:

Consequences are consequences....there is not degree of fairness to them. :blink:

As stated before, if one chooses to not to get vaccinated or the wonderful examples Sweet Wild Rose gave, you ALWAYS have a CHOICE to work elsewhere.

And like I stated that this is becoming a standard practice, to require the flu vaccine, that it is making it difficult for some nurses to make the choice to not vaccinate and yet have employment.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, High-Risk L&D, Antepartum, L.
Every article has flaws, but what these reviews from Cochrane etc are wanting/suggesting is to let thousands of people of die so large randomized control trials can be done. That makes perfect sense, right. Hey, it would give us our statistics that we need so it is perfectly plausible.

Oh I get it the flaws are only an issue if they harm your opinion. So because studies are done we take their answer because it supports what you want. When somebody comes along and shows flaws...well yeah there are always flaws but we better follow in line because otherwise we all die. If the studies showing the vaccinating healthcare workers have flaws...we shouldn't be using those studies to create this push for mandated vaccines in the workplace.

You think these flaws will harm people...the Cochrane studies suggest what you formed your opinion on is flawed. But that's right...your opinion is fact so therefore anything suggesting that it might be based on something that is flawed...well then that's not something we should pay attention to.

If there are flaws in the studies backing your opinion....how is it that we should follow your opionion backed by flawed studies? So we need some studies that are more accurate and less flawed...and in the meantime if you want to believe that thousands will die I'm sorry but that's nothing more than opinion without fact.

You can't cry "I base my opinion on studies" and then ignore reviews that show the studies are flawed and expect everyone to just make assumptions of what will happen if we stop pushing the mandated flu vaccine to healthcare workers.

In the end...I'm good because I had a reaction and can't get the vaccine so my fight in this is purely for the rights of others. So no flu vaccine for me.

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Specializes in Adult Internal Medicine.

Many professions have stipulations about health management of their employees; many are far more strict.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.

I sincerely hope that this is the last flu vaccine thread.....

There really is nothing new under the sun. This is life, people. You either abide by your employer's many requirements for employment or you look elsewhere.

It truly IS that simple.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.
I sincerely hope that this is the last flu vaccine thread..... There really is nothing new under the sun. This is life people. You either abide by your employer's many requirements for employment or you look elsewhere. It truly IS that simple.[/quote']

:yes:

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.
And like I stated that this is becoming a standard practice to require the flu vaccine, that it is making it difficult for some nurses to make the choice to not vaccinate and yet have employment.[/quote']

It's a standard practice due to EBM...numbers never LIE. :no:

There isn't an enormous amount of nurses that are being fired for this; they are given the choice to quit; she was not fired; this nurse quit.

If someone's beliefs trump the greater good, they are given the choice to respect the position of the greater good or stick to their individual beliefs and quit; it shouldn't make someone uncomfortable that the greater good doesn't want to come on their side; sounds very egocentric, in my opinion; when one decides to enter this profession, the individual beliefs are on hold at some point; we interact with MANY different individuals; but that is NOT supposed to get in the way of our business of protecting pts from further complications. :no:

wtbcrna already posted the link to the original post that has the actual article.

Is it really that difficult to decide to protect patients? I think not, in the hospital's case, and many nurses who vaccinate.

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Specializes in Case Management, ICU, Telemetry.

Unfortunatey, the hospital can fire anyone for pretty much anything. Do I think it is right? Not at all.

If people would use better hand hygeine and use common sense when sick (i.e. not coughing into hands then touching EVERYTHING like I see most nurses do) as well as STAY HOME from work when sick transmission of the flu would greatly decrease.

Also, did the hospital not have a protocol where individuals who refuse the flu shot can just wear a mask during flu season?

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.
Also, did the hospital not have a protocol where individuals who refuse the flu shot can just wear a mask during flu season?

Some hospitals only allow masks for approved medical exemptions. Mine slowly transitioned from recommending the flu shot to requiring the flu shot or a mask to now mandating flu shots unless medically contraindicated. A mask is not a viable option without an approved medical contraindication.

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Specializes in Anesthesia.
Oh I get it the flaws are only an issue if they harm your opinion. So because studies are done we take their answer because it supports what you want. When somebody comes along and shows flaws...well yeah there are always flaws but we better follow in line because otherwise we all die. If the studies showing the vaccinating healthcare workers have flaws...we shouldn't be using those studies to create this push for mandated vaccines in the workplace.

You think these flaws will harm people...the Cochrane studies suggest what you formed your opinion on is flawed. But that's right...your opinion is fact so therefore anything suggesting that it might be based on something that is flawed...well then that's not something we should pay attention to.

If there are flaws in the studies backing your opinion....how is it that we should follow your opionion backed by flawed studies? So we need some studies that are more accurate and less flawed...and in the meantime if you want to believe that thousands will die I'm sorry but that's nothing more than opinion without fact.

You can't cry "I base my opinion on studies" and then ignore reviews that show the studies are flawed and expect everyone to just make assumptions of what will happen if we stop pushing the mandated flu vaccine to healthcare workers.

In the end...I'm good because I had a reaction and can't get the vaccine so my fight in this is purely for the rights of others. So no flu vaccine for me.

Like, I stated I already posted a response to the Cochrane study. I also base my recommendations from the CDC, WHO, AMA, ANA and several others. Yours is based on misinformed opinion based on false beliefs. You would rather risk killing your patients than get the flu shot. I do not regard that as a positive belief structure or acceptable. You put personal liberties ahead of common sense, public safety, and/or patient safety.

We know that vaccines work and that using them save lives everything else is arguing about why there isn't enough statistics to have a perfect study. You and a few others would argue we need to kill some people first before you advocate get the flu vaccine which you would still refuse based on some reaction that you haven't shared so no loss to you.

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