Patient Refusing Unvaccinated RN

Nurses COVID

Updated:   Published

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Just as the tittle implies, we recently had a patient's family refusing a nurse who is not vaccinated. As of now, vaccination at my facility is still voluntary; becoming mandatory after September 1st (we still have several staff on the fence about it). My understanding is that the patient happened to come in as a stroke, with a prior  hx of prostate CA. Not sure what was the context of the conversation, but the patient's wife asked the nurse at the time if she was vaccinated (she was not and answered honestly...she could had refused); prompting the wife to request a different nurse due her fear of exposing her possible immunocompromised husband...the assignment was changed. The feeling of some of my co-workers is that we shouldn't had accommodated the request in support of the staff; however, many feel the wife had the right to advocate for her husband and had a valid concern. This has become a hot topic of conversation in the unit during downtime. 

Have anyone come across to anything similar?? If so, how was it handled?

All of the critics who say we are "lab rats" and are taking part in a "science experiment": well then, I would question how you believe hundreds of millions of test subjects (never before achieved in any vaccine study) don't provide EXTENSIVE data that overall these vaccines are very safe.

"Adverse effects" show up quickly but "side effects" show up much later-even months and years later?  Citations please. And please explain how these two words are different in any meaningful way.

Specializes in Patient Safety Advocate; HAI Prevention.

 

23 minutes ago

"Oh well, they are free to go to another hospital for care."

 

This is a cavalier attitude toward patients, who by the way are your bread and butter.  This attitude may change quickly with mandates, and it's a safe bet that they are coming.  Everybody inside hospital walls will be safer after mandates...and that included nurses, doctors, patients and all the other people who visit and spend time in hospitals every day.  The sooner the better.  Lives literally depend on it. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/mar/26/40600-people-likely-caught-covid-while-hospital-inpatients-in-england 

The word is that 15% of Covid was caught inside hospitals. Yep, it is our new HAI. I realize that the above article is from the UK, but it is the same concern here in the US.  Masks, distancing and vaccinations are what works.   Oh, avoid hospitals if you can!

Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/30/health/covid-CDC-delta-masks.html

Maybe she should refuse anyone without vaccination.

And "oh well they are free to choose another hospital". Wow just wow. I have no words for that statement. None I can say here.

Specializes in Patient Safety Advocate; HAI Prevention.

Meanwhile here in Maine, this my small  hometown community hospital is the first in the State to mandate the vaccine.  https://www.pressherald.com/2021/07/29/millinocket-hospital-is-first-in-maine-to-require-covid-vaccines-for-employees/?fbclid=IwAR1Q0gyfbqqfyCjgo567a_ga34tjhe_fkTaM2K9AA_TMaICKlzVuBcPVnYs  This is where the infamous wedding outbreak occurred last year...when a contingent of mask denying, science denying wedding party decided it was OK to go maskless and party.  Guests spread COVID all across our State.  People died.   This was covered in national news, and there was a special CDC report.  Millinocket Regional Hospital is making me proud today. 

Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

COVID parties, like chicken pox parties of the new millenium. Except people just don't care. 

Scary as hell.

Specializes in NICU, PICU, Transport, L&D, Hospice.

How many seasons of mutation will it take for this coronavirus to become as transmissable as measles? I guess the people who don't believe the science are planning on showing us...by providing the data and evidence with their own suffering and deaths.  Unfortunately, spreaders of disease always infect the vulnerable innocent and not just the belligerent.

Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
2 minutes ago, toomuchbaloney said:

How many seasons of mutation will it take for this coronavirus to become as transmissable as measles? I guess the people who don't believe the science are planning on showing us...by providing the data and evidence with their own suffering and deaths.  Unfortunately, spreaders of disease always infect the vulnerable innocent and not just the belligerent.

not long!

Specializes in Public Health, TB.
3 hours ago, Horseshoe said:

All of the critics who say we are "lab rats" and are taking part in a "science experiment": well then, I would question how you believe hundreds of millions of test subjects (never before achieved in any vaccine study) don't provide EXTENSIVE data that overall these vaccines are very safe.

People who are avoiding vaccines are also "lab rats". They are the control group. 

Specializes in Critical Care.

What if it was openly gay male nurse. Would it be appropriate for family member to ask about hiv status and requesting change an assignment? 

Specializes in NICU, PICU, Transport, L&D, Hospice.
4 minutes ago, HGRN said:

What if it was openly gay male nurse. Would it be appropriate for family member to ask about hiv status and requesting change an assignment? 

That's happened many times before...social conservatives aren't shy about this sort of thing...while also not apparently realizing that gay isn't contagious and HIV infection is less contagious than covid, or influenza or most other vaccine preventable diseases. 

8 minutes ago, HGRN said:

What if it was openly gay male nurse. Would it be appropriate for family member to ask about hiv status and requesting change an assignment? 

Is HIV an infectious respiratory disease? Are all people with HIV infections homosexual males? Is HIV easily or commonly transmitted from a healthcare professional to a patient?

Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.

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