Seasonal Flu and H1N1 Vaccine-will you get it if forced by your employer? why/why not

Aurora77 · Oct 1, 2009

I generally get the seasonal flu shot. My employer (not in health care) offers it for free, so I take it. I haven't had the flu in several years.

I'm being forced by my NS to take the H1N1 shot. If I weren't being forced, I would not take it. Personally I think the whole H1N1 discussion is just another in a long line of public scares that turns out to be nothing. SARS, bird flu, whatever, this is just the latest flavor of fear. If the supposed "experts" spent as much time freaking out about the seasonal flu, I might be willing to listen, but since they aren't, I'm not worried about it.

The idea of forcing someone to take a vaccine that may or may not be effective is a violation of an individual's right to take control of their own body. Since the seasonal flu shot is not mandatory (we're not being required to get one), I'm not sure why institutions feel they can force the H1N1 shot.

As strongly as I do feel about it, it's not the hill I want to die on with regard to my NS experience. I figure I'll take the shot. If others refuse, I think they are well within their rights to do so.

JJRN09 · Oct 2, 2009

I have already received the seasonal flu shot at the hospital I work at. Though we are not being mandated to have the H1N1 shot they will be offering it when it becomes available. I will go ahead and get it. I think that it is important to do whatever it takes to keep the kids I care for safe and also my 4 kids at home. If there is a chance that getting this vaccine can prevent me from contracting something that is possibly dangerous then why wouldn't I get it. I have work with a patient who contracted H1N1 and it progressed into acute respiratory failure and he died at only 25 years old. I realize that most cases are not that severe but some of my patients are immunocompramised and I don't even want to risk it. Just my :twocents: .

melmarie23, MSN, RN · Oct 2, 2009

I'm being forced by my NS to take the H1N1 shot. If I weren't being forced, I would not take it. Personally I think the whole H1N1 discussion is just another in a long line of public scares that turns out to be nothing. SARS, bird flu, whatever, this is just the latest flavor of fear. If the supposed "experts" spent as much time freaking out about the seasonal flu, I might be willing to listen, but since they aren't, I'm not worried about it.

My school is requiring us to get the H1N1 vaccine as well. We could however waive the seasonal flu shot, so as long as we know and comply with individual hospitals who require those employees (or nursing students) who don't get the shot wear a mask.

I don't think mandating it is fair. You shouldn't be threatened with your job, especially in these trying times. Its the flu. People did every year from it. H1N1 is no exception.

Agrippa · Oct 2, 2009

I would get it even if I were not required. You have the choice to get a shot or not yes. But you do not have the right to be a healthcare professional/nurse.

A key principle of the nursing profession is to do no harm. If you refuse vaccination for H1N1, which as a healthcare worker you will probably come into contact with and contract without vaccination, you are putting your patients in harms way (who are probably immunocompromised already) .

It is especially quite embarrassing when I hear nurses on TV spreading this hysteria. They should be leading the charge.

No, H1N1 is not just the flu. The fatality rate is higher by a statistically significant level. 1 in 3 pregnant women that have contracted H1N1 have died since April. This virus is no AIDS but it shouldn't be taken lightly by any means.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,559062,00.html

sneakymom2011 · Oct 2, 2009

Our seasonal flu shots are on Monday. And they're mandatory for everyone in our class, unless you have a real good excuse (pregnancy etc). If you don't take it, you're forced to wear a mask during your time at the hospital in clinical. At the hospitals we're working in, many are making both H1N1 AND seasonal flu shot mandatory. So in the future, when H1N1 is avaliable, we're all going to get lined up again and do that one.

I can understand why some people would have a real problem with this. However, I agree with the previous poster who said about nurses are supposed to do no harm. You're working with immuno-compromised patients in the first place, I wouldn't want to be the person carring either the seasonal or H1N1 in my body, and then I get this patient sick and they die from complications.

Even though it's not my first choice (I can give shots, I just don't like getting them ) I'm going to get it done.

Cheryl

melmarie23, MSN, RN · Oct 2, 2009

the morbity and mortality for H1N1 is no different from the seasonal flu. What that foxnews article fails to include (and others as well when such fatalities are reported) is whether those who died had predisposing conditions that may have contributed, such an an immunocompromised state, heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease etc. Pregnancy also puts you at risk for having complications from the flu, both seasonal and H1N1.

Otherwise healthy people are better apt at fighting this off.

What are the symptoms of swine flu in humans?
The symptoms of swine flu in people are expected to be similar to the symptoms of regular human seasonal influenza and include fever, lethargy, lack of appetite and coughing. Some people with swine flu also have reported runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/swineflu/key_facts.htm

About 36,000 people in the U.S. die annually from seasonal influenza, and more than 200,000 are hospitalized, according to the CDC. (Read swine flu facts and myths.)
But in the U.S., where most swine flu cases are mild, "it's a situation where we should be cautious but not panicky," said Susan Rehm, medical director for the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.
"From what we understand so far, the severity doesn't seem to be much different than what it is in regular seasonal influenza,"
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/04/090429-swine-flu.html

How does 2009 H1N1 flu compare to seasonal flu in terms of its severity and infection rates?
With seasonal flu, we know that seasons vary in terms of timing, duration and severity. Seasonal influenza can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death. Each year, in the United States, on average 36,000 people die from flu-related complications and more than 200,000 people are hospitalized from flu-related causes. Of those hospitalized, 20,000 are children younger than 5 years old. Over 90% of deaths and about 60 percent of hospitalization occur in people older than 65.
In seasonal flu, certain people are at “high risk” of serious complications. This includes people 65 years and older, children younger than five years old, pregnant women, and people of any age with certain chronic medical conditions. About 70 percent of people who have been hospitalized with this 2009 H1N1 virus have had one or more medical conditions previously recognized as placing people at “high risk” of serious seasonal flu-related complications. This includes pregnancy, diabetes, heart disease, asthma and kidney disease.
http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/qa.htm

its important to educate yourself before buying into the media's scare tactics.

melmarie23, MSN, RN · Oct 2, 2009

those coming into the hospital setting are no more at risk for contracting the flu from nurses or other health care professionals than they are from being out in the community/public. Nurses and doctors being vaccinated is not going to protect them from an infected patient or visitor entering the setting. Unless everyone is vaccinated, there is always a risk. The single most important thing we can do, health care workers and public alike, is to practice good hand hygiene.

classykaren · Oct 2, 2009

I do not know what to do people who are healthy here in Florida are starting to die with this

CrunchyMama, ASN, RN · Oct 2, 2009

I'm in NY and I know because of the local news has been reporting about healthcare workers protesting this. I'm against certain vaccines for myself and my kids...the flu shot being one of them. It doesn't matter to me if a vaccine is new or old...they all have dangerous potentials. I refuse to be a guinea pig for this new swine flu vaccine, no thanks! I've discussed my concerns with my prof. and informed her about being able to get a waiver for my kids in school so the waivers also apply for college and clinical sites. If patients and other healthcare workers/students want to get vaccinated...that's fine....if they feel protected against the flu then they shouldn't worry about me not being vaccinated.

Agrippa · Oct 2, 2009

the morbity and mortality for H1N1 is no different from the seasonal flu. What that foxnews article fails to include (and others as well when such fatalities are reported) is whether those who died had predisposing conditions that may have contributed, such an an immunocompromised state, heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease etc. Pregnancy also puts you at risk for having complications from the flu, both seasonal and H1N1.
Otherwise healthy people are better apt at fighting this off.
its important to educate yourself before buying into the media's scare tactics.

Trust me, I'm the last person to advocate for Fox New's journalistic credentials. But to say that H1N1 Flu is the same as seasonal flu is just plain incorrect. Yes, they have the same symptoms, but their morbidity per capita is different - namely H1N1 is very virulent and more dangerous.

Those statistics about how many people got hit with H1N1 is from last year. This is a new year where it will be with us for the whole season from the beginning unlike last year. Furthermore, vaccinations work best when we as a population have a high population cohort that is immune. If people start opting out in droves, it will defeat the purpose.

Also, inevitably, people will get sick with the virus and will want something for it. They will get anti-biotics despite all efforts, and then bacteria will start to become even more resistant.

Furthermore, the more people that are immune to this the less chance there are for the virus to propagate and mutate to potentially become resistant.

Simply put, there is no good reason not to get it. There are no preservatives (such as thimerosal) in the vaccines - even though there is no evidence whatsoever as to thimerosal having any adverse effects. Vaccination is our first line of defense for very good reasons.

Columnist · Oct 2, 2009

You might be interested in reading the threads in the Pandemic Flu Forum. There are numerous threads with up-to-date information about H1N1 and the vaccines.