Nurses and vaccines

To my understanding, nurses are not yet REQUIRED to have the swine flu vaccine. The vaccines I know nurses need are as follow:

Tuberculosis

Flu

Small pox

Chicken pox

Pneumonia

This is an incomplete list, but are the vaccines I know nurses must have in order to practice with patients.

Lots of hospitals require you to get the flu shot, lots don't. I think overmedication of patients and vaccination are two seperate unrelated things. You will as a nurse have to be able to explain how a vaccine works, it's purpose, etc, in addition to administer medications even when you feel like the patient doesn't need it or is overmedicated, so you will have to consider if you will be able to do so if you become a nurse.

Not sure if I should have posted this under "pandemics" but this is a general question. What vaccines are nurses required to have? Do you have to take the H1N1? What if you don't want to? I am against alot of these vaccines as I don't feel they are necessary safe. I also feel that patients are overmedicated but that's a whole other topic. I'm not a nurse but if I were forced to take the H1N1 or whatever new shot they come up with, I'd have to reconsider this field altogether.

For entry into my nursing program we were required to have the following:

chicken pox (or proof of immunity)

MMR (or proof of immunity)

TB

Hep B

TDap

Recommended:

Hep A

flu

pneumococcal

Smallpox vaccine is not routinely available. H1N1 wasn't yet available.

Every state offers waivers. I'm on my husbands laptop and don't have the link on here for the state by state list. Nobody can force you to get an vaccine....there's laws to protect you. Actually this discussion just went on elsewhere and I posted the link if you want to search for it.

here's the link....i was able to c&p it...hope it works.

state vaccine requirements – national vaccine information center

We get a TB screen (to detect active disease) but no vaccine. That is the only thing REQUIRED. However, nurses have to sign waivers for MMR in Pedi unless they have had the disease. Flu is recommended but not required. The idea is to have people to take care of those who did not get the vaccine.

Just so you know, the NVIC website is run by a crank named Barbara Loe Fisher who has been in the anti-vaccination business for years. I would double check on a reputable website if you want information about which states allow which kinds of exemptions to be sure you're getting accurate information.

To my understanding, nurses are not yet REQUIRED to have the swine flu vaccine. The vaccines I know nurses need are as follow:

Tuberculosis....Pneumonia

Nurses aren't required to take the BCG for tuberculosis, instead, they should prove their tuberculosis clearance by taking the tuberculin skin test aka PPD. They aren't required to take a pneumonia vaccine either...

I have not gotten my flu or pneumonia vaccines and the hospital is fine w it as long as we sign a waiver

First I would check with the school you might want to attend...I found both my LPN and RN school to be stricter than most facilities. Second check with the facilities you are interested. As you can see, they vary on requirements.

That should help you decide if you are willing to accept those requirements. Good luck on whatever you decide.

In the USA no official can force one to take a vaccine. An employer however can choose to not employ you if you do not choose to take the vaccines. I have heard it stated that bluntly from employers; "We understand your concerns about this vaccine and encourage everyone to make the best decision for themselves. However if you choose to not take this vaccine, we will need to ask you to find employment elsewhere".

Some employers will allow one to sign a waiver and not take a vaccine, some vaccines are not optional. Where I work, Hep B, MMR & chickenpox are required, either they give you the vaccine or they draw blood to prove one's titer is positive. These requirements are unit specific, ours are stricter than others.