r1013

As much as I hate needles coming at me... I use to get the flu shot for work because it was sorta pushed as a good thing being a nurse. I followed as a good employee and pushed it as we were asked to do. Approx 2 years ago I was watching an interview with a chemist from a pharmaceutical company that produces the shot. All the typical questions were asked and responses were as expected except one. He was asked if it worked. With a smile and slight laugh he said "well... we can't prove it and we have never seen it work, but the science behind it is sound so we highly recommend it." I shrugged that off. Over the next few years flu news caught my attention. Many many news articles like... A US Navy aircraft carrier with 100% flu shot compliance has out break of the flu. A certain school that requires the flu shot has out break of the flu. Then watching year after year as my co-workers at two hospitals got the flu even though they had the shot months prior. Then I noticed as the flu season appeared so did someone giving the flu shot on every corner. Push, push, push for what appears not to do anything at all. I'm definitely not an expert. I have degrees in Exercise physiology, nutrition and nursing. I am not a chemist so I don't really know for sure what is real and truthful as far as the science or bull crap conspiracy theories. I have only went on what I see around me happening. I have trusted my prior teachers and the doctors I now work with and I highly respect there opinions. I decided to ask the physicians a few questions. At the two hospitals I work at I asked rounding physicians if they had received the flu shot, was planning on taking it or recommended it. Out of 30 plus (I lost count) only two had taken it and recommended it. The rest were adamant (just between you and me) with a hell no attitude!! I had one physician as a patient and he actually acted scared when i asked him if he wanted to get the flu shot. Almost like he thought he had to take it. He said, "I promise I'll get it at my office by my own employees after discharge". Even after that I still took the flu shot like a good boy up until this year. This year I wore a mask. A rounding physician and her medical student stopped me in the hall and asked why I wore the mask. I told her I just didn't like needles and wasn't sure it worked anyway. She said she didn't blame me at all. Her student then asked: ****"By the way why are we (doctors) exempt from the flu shot when we see more patients than nurses?" She said she didn't know but maybe because they generate the revenue for the hospital and there toes were not to be stepped on. I am a bit irritated and confused as to what the truth is. I feel like I'm becoming a conspiracy theorist with the flu shot because to me things don't add up. What I have come to the conclusion of, is that it doesn't work. Most doctors personally don't like it and don't take it. It gets pushed on the rest of the population. It's never been seen or proven and probably never will... to protest healthcare workers or patients and anyone else. What I am left with is why are they pushing it so hard? The developing conspiracy theory side tells me there's chemicals in the shot that will cause problems later for the purpose of cutting population back. Neurological problems from the mercury? Cancers??? That actually is Bill Gates opinion on the shot. I know he isn't medical but I thought it was funny and it feeds the... conspiracy :) ! My more practical side tells me it's probably simply "MONEY". The pharmaceutical companies are probably backed by the government because they are paid off and they all get a cut. I am still trying to decide 100% but right now I am 90% leaning its all a bunch of bull. The hospital actually thinks they are punishing me by making me wear a mask. I have learned to ignore it. Patients ask me why I am wearing a mask at there admission. I simply tell the truth, that I don't take the flu shot and hospital policies require me to wear a mask. To my surprise, 75% or more get angry at the hospital and REFUSE the shot when asked. Another way to protect my patients from what me and apparently most doctors think is harmful. This is probably just all a money making scheme. I just hope the harmful chemicals contained in the injection are actually in low enough amounts to not cause problems later. If it does ever cause harm... You are not allowed to sue the manufacturer, doctor or hospital. They are all immune from anything related to the flu vaccination. You must go to the "National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program" and sue the Federal Government for compensation through the compensation Trust Fund. You can read more here: Flu Shot Remains Most Dangerous Vaccine Based on Injuries and Deaths Compensated by Government

Thanks for the tips everyone. It quit raining, so I'm going to spend the rest of the afternoon sitting by the creek bank in the front yard reading. We we not required or offered study guides. I found a new one on amazon that goes with my test book for around $20. I am going to order that before the weekend is up. They did require us to get an NCLEX review book, but I haven't opened it yet. I know bad... I was trying to just learn the Billion things in each chapter. I was trying to relax a bit more last night and take it slower. I asked myself questions after each page I read. I was telling myself to not think to in depth... relax, relax, and think practical. My cats were looking at me like I was nuts because I was talking out loud. Once I finish up the next chapter, I'll look at the NCLEX book and see if there is a section that corresponds to our next test. I always thought I had a lot of common sense... evidently I was wrong or all those science classes sucked it out of me. I live in Tennessee and it did rain this morning, but right now It's 75 and BEAUTIFUL!! The grass looks almost florescent green and the trees are blooming. I hope everyone has a nice Easter weekend. CHOCOLATE and sunshine! :) Thanks again for the advice.

hikernurse- You must like hiking. I was thinking of going today to relax since we were off, but I figured I better study all day instead. I sat around until almost 11am worring about how to approach it different and then got nervous because I thought "oh know I only have 2 3/4 days left!!!" LOL... Its making me nuts. Then I had a flash back from my last test where my teacher asked how far to insert an Anal Thermometer in an adult, child, and infant. I put 1.5", 1" and 0.5" and got it wrong!! She put a note by my answer and said please use the correct unit of measurement! Meaning (") is not acceptable, it must be (inch) Rrrrr... Surly if I can use "ung for ointment" I could use " for inch. Ho hum... The rest of the questions were NCLEX. Which yes, is common sense... but doesn't make much sense :) Ok that didn't make since! Hee hee. Maybe I am taking it to serious... I'm just scared to relax, thinking it might bite me!! I know we have around a dozen more test and a final to bring my grade up so (IF) I can control this I'll be fine. I found the study guide and was thinking about ordering it. Thanks for the advice and quick reply. Guess I need to stop procrastinating and go study... sniff

We just started "Fundamentals of Nursing" last week (Lippincott). I made a 73 on my first test and a 68 on the second. 80 is the minimum to pass. I made A's in Anatomy, Chemistry, and Biology without hardly even trying. I made a B in calculus. Sooo... that said I am not stupid, but Fundamentals seems harder than all the above!!! I don't really understand how to even study for it. Science seems black and white but nursing seems all over the place. I can't make sense of how things correlate together. The first test covered 7 chapters and we had 24 hours to learn it. The second test 3 with another 24 hours and the 3rd test (Monday also 3 chapters) we had 3 days (2.5 left). All I can do is read the chapters over and over. To memorize (like in Anatomy) that much information (nursing) would be like memorizing the Bible over night. There must be 10,000 facts to know 100% over night!! It appears to be easy at first, but again I can't connect things like with science and with so much info!!! Any tips would be appreciated. I am definitely rethinking the easier route (Engineering!!)