Jazzylyn

Thanks everyone for your replies. You have all been helpful:)

I was just wondering if anyone out there works for PHS or has worked for them in the past. If so, can you tell me anything about them please? Benefits? Pay, etc. Management? Looks they may have won the bid for our prison. (I currently work for CMS). Thanks:)

Today we finally got word of who can actually recieve the flu shot. Only those inmates who are 65 and over, those with chronic illness..Now those with chronic illness must be very ill. This does not include people who just have HTN, they must have some other cardiac problem that puts them at risk. Also, the hard core Asthmatics, COPD (serious cases) and diabetics. Out of 400 inmates at our facility, that means that 36 inmates will get the vaccine. And the Dept of health will be checking our records. We also have a form we must fill out and have copies for the health dept. So in short, out of almost 175 chronic illness inmates, only 36 meet the criteria set forth for our facility. I will be giving the vaccines this Saturday. We were told they must be given before Nov 1st. Medical staff will be allowed the vaccine. The DOC Officers will not be able to get them either. (I never get the vaccine anyway, so it doesn't affect me)

I agree with CindyRN1. It should depend on what kind of chronic illness you have. If you have a 25 yr old with only HTN, I don't feel they need a flu shot. I think this is where we are having the problem where I work. We have 400 inmates, but have yet to be notified of who should actually be getting the shot. We have 200 or so inmates that are considered to have "chronic disease"...But no real guidelines. As far as DOC staff and medical staff, we have not yet been offered vaccines. I never get one anyway, and this year would be no different but I really think only the severly chronic ill and elderly inmates should be allowed the vaccine. Someone needs to take a stance and tell us what they want us to do or our vaccines will sit in the refrigerator not benefitting anyone.

We have approx 200 doses of the flu vaccine that hasn't been used yet. We have been told NOT to use it, and may even have to send it back. The inmates are getting antsy and accusing us of holding out on them. Sheesh! Soo, We still don't know if we will be able to use any of the vaccine that we have, or if only the very high risk inmates will get it.