Pierce County, Washington nurses suing over mandatory flu shots

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

TACOMA, Wash. -- The union representing nurses at two local hospitals is suing MultiCare over mandatory flu shots for all employees. There is the risk of losing their jobs if they don't comply.

Nurses at Tacoma General Hospital and Good Samaritan Hospital in Puyallup are both operated by MultiCare. One nurse has already been suspended and the union fears some nurses could get fired.

rest of article: http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Pierce-County-nurses-suing-over-mandatory-flu-shots-287872231.html

Will be interesting to see how this turns out. What do you think? I DID get my flu shot this year, like always. Where I work, if you don't, you must wear a mask throughout your shift.

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Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

I think if you want to work in the healthcare industry you should do whatever is needed to prevent the spread of disease. Most people think of the flu as an inconvenience, but people die from it every year. The CDC reports a t least 15 children are dead - and that does not count the other populations. There is a vaccine for a reason - it is a deadly disease.

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I know the local hospitals where I live terminated some employees for refusing to get one.

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We are allowed to refuse where I worked in Olympia (Thurston county) but if the CDC announced a certain 'level' of epidemic, we were to wear face masks while in all patient areas if we'd declined the flu shot.

People are funny about what gets put into their body. It seems draconian to 'force' a person to get a suggested vaccination. That wasn't an issue for me, I don't want to get the flu or infect other people with it, so I'd just get it, game over.

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Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.

I would think allowing the nurse/CNA to wear a mask would be reasonable accommodation for those who are not able to take the shot. :facepalm:

I'm definitely in favor of protect-the-vulnerable-pts policies, but to allow NO alternative is crazy. Seriously, say a single parent is trying to provide for the children in a tough market. Say said person is allergic to eggs. Should s/he be coerced into taking a shot knowing full well the risks, because they are desperate to work?

A few years back, an RN was fired on the spot and escorted out of the building, when she wouldn't produce documentation that she'd had the shot, AND wouldn't wear a mask. That I did think was her own dumb fault, since she would have been completely unharmed by the mask. Of course I was less than sympathetic because I got pulled out of the ICU (60-bed LTACH, with 8 of those beds ICU) to take over her pt assignment--no report of course, since she was escorted out on the spot. Although then again, managers COULD have given her a few minutes to give me report before escorting her out of the building.

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Say said person is allergic to eggs. Should s/he be coerced into taking a shot knowing full well the risks, because they are desperate to work?

Agreed, it is surprising that per the article, these medical reasons didn't give them the ability to opt-out. (they state there is a new review board in place now for this). This doesn't make much sense, and I'm wondering if I'm missing something. I personally would refuse to administer a flu shot to my patient if they have serious medical contraindications to it, so I'm wondering what the employee health nurses are doing when faced with these situations.

Every other hospital I've heard of, including my own, always allowed exemptions for medical and religious reasons, but you have to provide the documentation.

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I think there should be an alternative for those that don't get the flu shot. I will say this though, I got the flu once when I did not get a flu shot. I felt like I was dying. After that I started getting the vaccine!

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Specializes in Critical Care.
Agreed, it is surprising that per the article, these medical reasons didn't give them the ability to opt-out. (they state there is a new review board in place now for this). This doesn't make much sense, and I'm wondering if I'm missing something. I personally would refuse to administer a flu shot to my patient if they have serious medical contraindications to it, so I'm wondering what the employee health nurses are doing when faced with these situations.

Every other hospital I've heard of, including my own, always allowed exemptions for medical and religious reasons, but you have to provide the documentation.

Religious reasons? What would the religious reason for refusing a vaccine be?

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

Got mine. I have not had the flu in years and years and have gotten the shot since the 80s when I was military. I feel they have built up my immunity in general. But I do respect choice. Like I said, where I work if you do not get the shot you wear a mask. Seems fair to me.

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Specializes in Trauma, Orthopedics.

:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

That's about the extent of my thoughts on this lawsuit.

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There are egg free preparations of the vaccine as well as vaccines that are certified latex free. At the facility I am at there is an ancillary staff member who is required to wear a mask because of a near fatal reaction to what they assume is a preservative since they are NOT allergic to eggs. The hospital should allow for medical exemptions and religious exemptions when documented by a physician/provider or religious leader and instead enforce wearing a mask during any and all patient interactions.

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