Nurses children and vaccinations, how do you feel?

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I am on another forum that is very anti-vaccinations for children (or anyone for that matter), and it got me thinking how do nurses and other healthcare workers feel about vaccinations and anti-vaxer's. Most of the posters on that forum are very hostile to anyone in healthcare and no matter what a healthcare worker posts it is always wrong or they are spying for "The Man". :uhoh3: They tend to see healthcare workers as uninformed, uneducated, and uncaring. How do you feel about vaccinations for yourself or children? Do you ever have people that are very anti-vaccination and what reasons do they give? And do you think that most people that decline vaccination are informed about or understand the effects of the route they are taking? I am not trying to judge, I am just very curious.

As a newbie I hope I am not out of order here - For school I was required to get proof of vac's well since I was a thrirty-somthing and my pediatrician has long since folded his tent I was required to have titters drawn, well I was less than norm ok whole new round of vaccinations for me, well then they wanted titters again and guess what sill less than that magic number - lets go again I have had 8 hep b shots and guess what still less than the magic number - the whole debacle ended when I got employed and was told gee that is probably where you live (had two kids with the chickenpox and didn't get it again despite the low titter) I have to wonder about schools dictating treatment, whether they are public or private should medical decisions normally between patient and doctor be in the hands of an institution? It just bugs me; I was forced to get 6ppd's in two years for nursing school now I get a red itchy spot (no indurations) at my annual for work. I guess what ticked me off is that many are not even evidence based practice. Requiring girls to get an brand new vaccine, TX have ya lost your minds. People need the right to choose if Vac's are right for them, just like anything else. Well its my lil two cents for what its worth

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I opted out of most vaccines. I feel the number of vaccines given to children today is harmful to their immune systems and contributes to immune disorders, which are on the rise. I've read more honest research on pet vaccinations which have been implicated in the rise of rheumatoid arthritis in dogs.

I also have a holistic approach in other ways. I gave birth to my 6 children at home, breastfed for at least one year, and did not run to the doctor for illnesses. I can count on one hand the times my children were on antibiotics, and only once was for an actual illness. My children have totally above average health which I don't think is coincidental. My oldest child will be 30 years old this year.

I don't share this information with my co-workers as it is considered heresy.

I agree with GardenDove. I also feel that autoimmune diseases are on the rise and I wonder about the autism controversy. I don't think taking an infant to a doctors office to receive 7 or 8 immunizations at one time is normal...or healthy. Parents are listening to their doctors who stand to make a lot of money on those immunizations and not to their own common sense. If you love your children, read and investigate eveything that you allow into their bodies. That is my humble opinion.

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I have an 11 y/o daughter. I am against this new vaccine for some strains of Human Papilloma Virus. I think I heard that Texas is requiring it now for girls aged 9-13(?). That's makes me angry. My daughter will not be getting that vaccine.

If cervical cancer comes from HPV, then it is quite preventable. I don't like the idea of assuming that everyone will be having unprotected, early sex.

My daughters will be. Even if she doesn't have sex until she is married, her husband may have and he can infect her. You can get the strains of HPV that cause cancer at any time and I want her to be safe.

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Many people who consider not having vaccinations as an appropriate behaviour have little or no appreciation of the risks from communicable diseases. As was observed, they lack basic information about public health issues.

The presence of an unprotected pool of individuals puts everyone at risk.

The efforts to erradicate polio are an example. The pool of "wild" polio virus maintains the risk.

Sharon

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Specializes in LTC.

The hostility between vaxers and nonvaxers is incredible. Be nice to each other. Stop generalizing.

It's great that you have an opinion but just because you think you are more informed doesn't make your opinion the only right opinion.

Will you get the AIDS vaccine when it becomes available? It will most likely...but it could cause...

You get the idea.

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Specializes in med-surg, ER, rehab, neuro, OB.

I do vaccinate my children, but I don't give every one that is available. We also didn't start them until the children were 2, and didn't give an MMR until they started kindergarten.

My kids have never been to day care or any kind of group child care until starting school, so much of their risk was limited. I did extensive research and decided that the benefits of most of the vaccines outweigh the risks, but that the risk of giving a vaccine to a tiny newborn baby was too high.

To be honest, I don't really worry about the opinions of anyone else. People will always have opinions, but I am their mother and it is my job to research and decide individually.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Wound Care.
As was observed, they lack basic information about public health issues.

Wow, there's a HUGE overgeneralization! Because someone chooses to investigate the risk benefit of a vaccine and opts to not participate in taking that vaccine does not mean they "lack basic knowledge". In most cases they have more knowledge than those who blindly take a vaccine without looking at the risks.

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Specializes in med-Surg, ICCU, ER and Nurse Manager.

Hi.

This is Kitt.

The Minnesota Department of Health reported three deaths of children with influenza who became ill between 01/08/2007 and 02/01/2007. None of the children had received the vaccine for the current infuenza season.

Our clinics were overrun with people wanting the vaccine after the report of deaths and we had to scarmble to get the vaccine in stock.

I believe that it is an individual decision but must be an informed decision based on values and undertanding of the purpose of the vaccines.

Respectfully

Kitt

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The hostility between vaxers and nonvaxers is incredible. Be nice to each other. Stop generalizing.

It's great that you have an opinion but just because you think you are more informed doesn't make your opinion the only right opinion.

Will you get the AIDS vaccine when it becomes available? It will most likely...but it could cause...

You get the idea.

:yeahthat:

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Specializes in Med-Surg, LTC, Rehabiliation Nursing.
I think one of the main reasons for the varicella vaccine is the prevention of shingles later in life--not just the prevention of chicken pox. Shingles are horrific and I would have liked to have had a vaccine to not have to go through what my grandma did with them. Too late for us--we all had chicken pox before the vaccine.

I just heard about a new vaccine to prevent shingles. Cannot for the life of me remember where, I am googling now to find out. Anybody else heard of this? I had all my vaccinations, but had the chicken pox the way everybody else in my family did, the moms found out one had it, stuck us all together, and dealt with the miserable, itchy, covered with pink lotion kids all at once.:eek: My titer says I am immune, though, so it worked! If there is a vaccine to prevent shingles, sign me UP!

I have a friend who swears that vaccines are what caused her sons autism.

sigh. Its the mercury in it, she swears. I did try to explain you get more mecury from eating tuna fish sandwiches twice a week than from one vaccine, (I did have the research to back that one up, but she did NOT want to hear it. another sigh. Sometimes you just have to agree to disagree, right?) Anyhoooo,,, I do believe in vaccines. Have seen a case of chicken pox that went to far, the child almost died, he is okay now, but, jeesh, if you could avoid that,.....

Okay, off my soapbox.

Next opinion?

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Specializes in Med-Surg, LTC, Rehabiliation Nursing.

Okay, big question. I have heard 3 times on this link that some vaccines are derived from aborted fetuses. Does anyone know the validity of these statements? If so, I am not thrilled, but I would like to know. Anyone? This is the first time I have heard this particular rumor.

Very curious.

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Specializes in Psych, Med/Surg, LTC.
Okay, big question. I have heard 3 times on this link that some vaccines are derived from aborted fetuses. Does anyone know the validity of these statements? If so, I am not thrilled, but I would like to know. Anyone? This is the first time I have heard this particular rumor.

Very curious.

Vaxes containing aborted fetal cell lines, their Rx names, and their manufacturers

****UPDATED October 4, 2006****

Varivax (CP) - Merck & Co.

Vaqta (Hep A) - Merck & Co.

Havrix (Hep A) - GSK

Twinrix (Hep A & B) - GSK

MMR II - Merck & Co.

MR VAX (measles, rubella) - Merck & Co.

Biavax II (mumps, rubella) - Merck & Co.

Meruvax II (Rubella) - Merck & Co.

ProQuad (MMR + chickenpox) - Merck & Co.

Poliovax - Sanofi Pasteur

Imovax (Rabies) - Sanofi Pasteur

Enbrel (rheumatoid/OsteoArthritis) - Immunex

Xigris (Sepsis) - Eli Lilly

Zostavax (Shingles) - Merck & Co.

Acambis 1000 (Smallpox) - Acambis

and

New, as-yet-unnamed vaxes being developed for Ebola (mfrd by Crucell/NIH), HIV (Merck), Flu (MedImmune Vaxin), and Avian Flu (Sanofi)

Full (printable) chart & more info at:

http://www.cogforlife.org/fetalvaccines.htm

More info on how these fetal cell lines were procured

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