Nurse: 'I was fired for refusing flu shot'

Nurses COVID

Published

Specializes in med/surg, wound/ostomy.
The flu shot is high recommended by the hospitals in my area. Once you got the shot, you got a sticker for your badge. If you did not want the shot, you signed acknowledging you would be required to wear a mask at work from the moment you entered the hospital until you left. Caught without the mask and no proof of the flu vaccination, you could be subject to disciplinary action which could lead up to termination.

We've already got some flu patients in the ICU and several on the floors. This isn't a joke when it comes to protecting ourselves, our co-workers and the patients. I appreciate everyone's right to do what they want with their own bodies but there are times when you have to take the necessary precautions whether it is a mask or a flu shot.

Sounds like the Scarlet letter to me. And what about Hippa? Are you not telling people your medical information by the stickers on your badge and the mask you wear??

0 Votes
Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.
Sounds like the Scarlet letter to me. And what about Hippa? Are you not telling people your medical information by the stickers on your badge and the mask you wear??

You tell them you have had PPD, MMR, Varicella, tetorifice, smallpox, etc. just by being an employee.

... and it's voluntary. You are not forced to work there.

0 Votes
Sounds like the Scarlet letter to me. And what about Hippa? Are you not telling people your medical information by the stickers on your badge and the mask you wear??

I don't find that folks concerns about HIPAA carry a lot of weight when they are referring to it as "hippa". Assuming you did mean HIPAA, you can tell your health information to anyone you like, you just cannot disclose patient information except for certain situations. Since it is the employees decision to follow the rules and be employed, including wearing the badge, it is not a HIPAA violation, IMO.

0 Votes
Specializes in med/surg, wound/ostomy.
I don't find that folks concerns about HIPAA carry a lot of weight when they are referring to it as "hippa". Assuming you did mean HIPAA, you can tell your health information to anyone you like, you just cannot disclose patient information except for certain situations. Since it is the employees decision to follow the rules and be employed, including wearing the badge, it is not a HIPAA violation, IMO.

"You can tell your health information to anyone you like" and what if I do not want to tell anyone my health information. Sorry that I wrote hippa and not HIPPA

0 Votes
"You can tell your health information to anyone you like" and what if I do not want to tell anyone my health information. Sorry that I wrote hippa and not HIPPA

Then you don't work at that facility.

BTW, you still got it wrong...HIPAA!!!

0 Votes
Specializes in med/surg, wound/ostomy.
Then you don't work at that facility.

BTW, you still got it wrong...HIPAA!!!

Not going to continue with this - I do wish you well and hope you have a great day.

0 Votes
Specializes in Med-Surg, Psych, Tele, ICU.

Where I work, the admin pushes for greater numbers of vaccinated employees. It has become a major priority...but, Tdap is a non issue. We had to fight to at least provide for unit specific HCW, but it isn't required or....SAD.

0 Votes
Specializes in Oncology/Haemetology/HIV.
No disrespect to you Ma'am i can see you can paste and copy and very good i may add. But can you tell me what you think in your own words about the topic at hand. Would you let your employer force you to get a flu shot? Or would you refuse and lose your job? I would love to hear what you have to say being a 30 yr nurse.

Karma, as a 17 year nurse, and as a former military brat, I have more vaccines than I could count. And a couple have probably saved me many health issues/life.

I currently work in a unit that mandates certain vaccines for the good of the pts and the staff. Having had

a critically ill young pt clear her disease, only to develop the flu and die, most have no

problem with it. Due to the nature of the case and surveillance studies, it was clear that the flu was acquired in

during the hospitalization.

Having worked with research and government facilities, with severely immunocompromised pts, I accept that if I want to work with that group, I need to be vaccinated. Otherwise, i need to work elsewhere.

In addition, despite vaccination, we ALL wear masks in all of our pt rooms during flu/rsv season. Which in 2009, was year round.

0 Votes

Our facility mandates flu shots as well. You can get permission from your PCP not to get one and they will excuse you, otherwise you are fired. I think it is silly to require employees to get flu shots but I was going to get one anyway this year because I am pregnant and it isn't worth it to me to lose my job over this (at least not at this time). I pick and choose my battles (and I am gearing up for one so I didn't want to waste my energy fighting getting a flu shot). :lol2:

0 Votes

First let me remind that some states are a right to work state and others, as in SC, are not. A SC attorney told me "they can fire you because their favorite football team lost last night". No questions asked.

And now a thought: I never get the flu shot because the last 3 years in a row that I got it I got so sick...all winter I felt as if I had the flu...I was miserable: fatigue, achy, hot/cold, nauseous etc. Each and every year, employee health told me: "you probably have the flu. However it has nothing to do with the shot. You were probably already getting it when you received the shot". My question...why in the world did I bother to get the shot?? So this year I refused and my employer said, fine, but you'll have to wear a mask the entire time you are on the premises, including when you are eating.... I got the shot.

0 Votes
first let me remind that some states are a right to work state and others, as in sc, are not. a sc attorney told me "they can fire you because their favorite football team lost last night". no questions asked.

and now a thought: i never get the flu shot because the last 3 years in a row that i got it i got so sick...all winter i felt as if i had the flu...i was miserable: fatigue, achy, hot/cold, nauseous etc. each and every year, employee health told me: "you probably have the flu. however it has nothing to do with the shot. you were probably already getting it when you received the shot". my question...why in the world did i bother to get the shot?? so this year i refused and my employer said, fine, but you'll have to wear a mask the entire time you are on the premises, including when you are eating.... i got the shot.

and how are you feeling?

0 Votes
there is another scientifically supported opinion. it is using the precautions we have in place already (whether you entered nursing at the time they were called standard or universal or whatever new term is next around the corner.)

wash your hands before and after every single patient contact. wear a mask if you have even the slightest of concerns that you might be able to pick up or spread a virus. clean your stethoscope between uses and use dedicated, disposable supplies for patients with contagious diseases. wear the nasty blue isolation gown every single time you set foot into an isolation room (how many of us have seen nurses who simply refuse to abide by those simple precautions unless they risk getting written up?)

you should be doing all of those things anyway. the fact of the matter is, the flu shot only covers about 3 strains of the flu. and it is the "best guess" as to those manufacturing the flu shot as to which strains are most likely to be needed at the time that the flu shot will be given... which is months after they begin production of the vaccine! there is no guarantee whatsoever that the flu shot any person receives will protect them from whatever strain of flu happens to actually be going around in their area.

what if you don't "have any concerns that you might be able to pick up or spread a virus," yet you have unknowingly been exposed to the influenza virus? let's suppose that the virus is replicating in your body and you are destined to become symptomatic...in a few days. you do realize that you are contagious before you are symptomatic, correct? hand washing is really good and all, but since influenza is also spread via the air through droplets which escape from your respiratory tract, universal precautions are not going to help that vulnerable patient you just took care of. or do you always wear a mask?

you cannot be forced to get a flu shot. you have the choice to not work at any facility which requires it. there are reasons to refuse the shot, and perfectly good reasons for a facility to require it.

0 Votes
+ Add a Comment