I am the OP, and quite honestly, I was flying home from vacation when I placed the original post, and have been extremely busy since I have been home. There are a few people whom I need to reply to on here because of their courtesy. Yet, many of these comments have been rude, and did not provide me with the requested information, so no response is necessary. I have been an RN 17 years this month. I started as an ASN, then got a Bachelor's in Healthcare Management, then an MBA. I decided at my age, I should get a BSN due to the push for BSNs, and I am now finishing an MSN program. I have plans to get a DNP, but not a nurse practitioner like everyone has automatically assumed. The DNP would have a leadership or educational focus. I have no desire to be a nurse practitioner. So, I am fairly educated, know how to read research, and how to see who pays for the research, and who benefits from the research, oftentimes. I believe vaccines when created years ago were good, and had great benefit. I've had vaccines in my past; I may have some in my future; the flu vaccine is not one of them.
I do not remember if you (and I don't have time to look back through them right now) were one of those that posted that I should not be a nurse, and that I needed to leave the profession. However, if others read this, I'll say that is very hurtful and uncalled for in the context that they wrote it. I did ask for advice, and if that advice was to leave because they did not foresee a way around the flu shot requirements, and that it was only going to get worse, that is a reasonable response. However, to tell me to leave the profession because I do not believe like they do, and am not willing to have someone tell me that I will inject something into my body is a different story. This month, my hospital is recognizing me because I paid for the cremation of a young woman in her 20's because her mother was so distraught at the thought of her daughter lying in the hospital morgue for days, weeks, or months with no way to pay for cremation or burial. I've handed $500 checks out to more patients and co-workers than I can count in my time as a nurse because there was a need, and I could fulfill it. I'm a very detail oriented person and nurse. I believe I have provided better care than many nurses that I have worked with in my 17 years. So, to read the comments of those with snide remarks has been hurtful. They do not know me or the work that I do. I also wonder how many of them have sent a text while driving, or have possibly driven after having a drink. They're putting others' lives at risk with that behavior, too. Well enough with this, I have to get back to the class I am working on, because I have a DNP to go after.
