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Insert GIANT eye roll

So I am manually entering all of our Kindergarten students into Power School and I catch a student who still needs DTaP #5, MMR/Varivax #2, IPV #4 and ALL Hep B. She has had all the other vaccines up until the 15 month shots. So I just called the mother to ask if perhaps the records she gave me were incomplete (child had a full physical in March and many times the clinics will not note the vaccines the child was given that same day). She says "Oh, we no longer vaccinate for religious reasons" :banghead: So she has had every other vaccine up until the boosters and suddenly their religious beliefs prevent them from completing the series. Give me an everloving break.

Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.
I actually had some Pre-K parents (we're PK-5th) tell me their child wasn't up-to-date on vaccines because he had recently been diagnosed with autism and they didn't want to "make it worse.":sniff:

On a side note, I'm finding it really interesting that people in other states can seemingly so easily opt out of vaccines. Here, parents have to fill out an exemption form, provide "proof" of objections (medical requires a letter from a doctor, religious requires something in print that shows the religion's specific objection. Philosophical objection is no longer valid), have it notarized, send it to the DOH, wait for the DOH to approve or not, and then give the school a copy of the approved form. If the DOH does not approve, they can appeal, but we can also recommend disenrollment after 3 written notices. Is it easier in other states? Or pretty similar?

In Texas you request an Affidavit from the Dept of Health, get it notarized, take it to school, and that it.:woot:

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Specializes in kids.
I wanna punch this chick in the face every time I see her but she's too busy working on her Master's in PUBLIC HEALTH!!!

Bwahahaha!

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.
We have, that is why we are hesitant. My wife and I both researched and came to this decision, two nurses, along with consulting docs. It is not full coverage and may give children a superman complex that they are covered, that stupidity goes both ways. Should they develop a full coverage or a coverage significant enough, I would believe the risk is worth the gain.

I can understand you being hesitant if you are concerned about negative side effects...but...as a parent of 5 kids, 4 boys and the youngest, girl of 14, don't worry about any message they may or may not receive from getting a vaccine that may prevent transmitting a STD. Similar to the comparison that educating them about condoms gives them your permission to have sex. Each one of them are different and will make up their own mind based on - WHATEVER!! You just try to give them the basis and foundation of truth and roll the dice.

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Specializes in Med nurse in med-surg., float, HH, and PDN.

Ok, this isn't about a school kid, but I just have to pipe in here: my 70 year old sister has "been doing a lot of reading" :rolleyes: and said "I don't think I'm going to take the flu vaccine this year." When she told me that I took in a breath and STARTED to say "Ah," and was about to ask her did she really think that was a good idea? Because she is Definitely a senior citizen, and one who catches every single respiratory infection and norovirus that comes around,and she's going to say 'no' to a flu shot...and the pneumonia vaccine, and the shingles vaccine? Oh. My. God :bored:

She wanted to tell me about everything she's been reading about it lately, but I said Nope,nononono, if you don't want to hear what I have to say then I don't have to hear what you want to say. I am sick up to my eyeballs with the anti-vaccine argument.

Part of one of her reasons has something to do with her being a vegetarian and some animal-related product connection that goes into medicines. She even wants to stop taking her Thyroid med because something in it comes from animals.

Heck of a time of life to worry about being totally pure-of-diet, etc.!

Bad enough that mom's keep their kids from getting their vaccinations, but at her age, my sister is playing Russian Roulette.

Thank you for allowing me to vent; I now return you to your regular school-nurse thread!

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Specializes in School.

I have wondered about this also. Then noticed some of my seniors who have had the Conscientious Objections for the 7th grade requirements are some of the first ones to get the MCV for college. What?! I have to chase your down at least twice and remind you to get me the updated waiver. But it's okay now they are a senior?

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Specializes in School nursing.
I have wondered about this also. Then noticed some of my seniors who have had the Conscientious Objections for the 7th grade requirements are some of the first ones to get the MCV for college. What?! I have to chase your down at least twice and remind you to get me the updated waiver. But it's okay now they are a senior?

Maybe college can reinforce that MCV. When I worked a college in my pre-nursing days, that immunization was non-negotiable if a student wanted to live on campus. If they didn't get it, no on campus housing placement.

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Maybe college can reinforce that MCV. When I worked a college in my pre-nursing days, that immunization was non-negotiable if a student wanted to live on campus. If they didn't get it, no on campus housing placement.

Here in Texas you can't even register for college classes until you have an updated MCV on file( or Exemption) up until you are 22 - no matter if you live on campus or not.

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Specializes in school/military/OR/home health.

Ugh...here you just need a notarized statement, it has to be the exact same statement that public health publishes. People try to riff on the statement but the law says it has to be exact. I don't get that many to be honest. I do have one student who had a religious exemption to lead testing (like, what religion is against lead testing???).

I had to give flu shots to adults this weekend, and I heard some doozies. One lady actually asked me if it would give her "alcohol fetal syndrome" and I was too stunned to point out that not only is it not called that, but she is not a fetus, nor is she pregnant, nor is there alcohol in the flu shot...I just couldn't.

I had one guy refer to the flu shot as poison, and he started to tell me there was no way I was putting my poison into him because it was going to give him down's syndrome. What even?

Then another woman asked if she could use a religious exemption because she decided it was against her religion. Suddenly, in the middle of my flu shot clinic. OK. I told her yes, but she better get me the notarized statement quickly. Then she said she's breastfeeding so she should not get it anyway. I was just like lady, you have no idea what you are talking about! You NEED the flu shot to protect that infant!

Don't get me started on the anti-vaxxers. They make it pretty clear that dead is better than autistic in their minds, and that alone is pretty insulting to many fine autistic folks I know.

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Specializes in Cardio-Pulmonary; Med-Surg; Private Duty.

And people wonder why I walk around all the time muttering, "I hate people!"????

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I think we have to respect their beliefs regardless...people can change their beliefs at any stage of their lives, it's one of the things about living in a nation where we have freedom of choice, and those choices are not categorized or judged according to my belief system or anybody else's. There are worse things that cause problems in greater numbers than these non-vaccinators....driving in an alcoholic stupor, violent drug fueled violence, to name only two.

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.
I think we have to respect their beliefs regardless...people can change their beliefs at any stage of their lives, it's one of the things about living in a nation where we have freedom of choice, and those choices are not categorized or judged according to my belief system or anybody else's. There are worse things that cause problems in greater numbers than these non-vaccinators....driving in an alcoholic stupor, violent drug fueled violence, to name only two.

Your post really has two separate statements. Are you're saying you respect non-vaccinators but you don't respect those who drive in an alcoholic stupor or those who participate in violent drug fueled violence because they cause more problems than the non-vaccinators?

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No. I am well aware of what the majority of nurses think about non-vaccinators...it has come across in most of these posts and I've heard plenty at work, and I understand it, but I don't have an opinion myself (comment on that if you will although I'm not sure what you will make of my freedom of choice to not have an opinion about everything)...the point was, there are worse things that happen, and who are we to judge?

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