Shortage of flu vaccines

OntRPN · Dec 6, 2003

There is no shortage in Ontario they have plenty and the suppliers say they are keeping up fine with the demand..

T:)

laurasc · Dec 8, 2003

Originally posted by OntRPN
There is no shortage in Ontario they have plenty and the suppliers say they are keeping up fine with the demand..

T:)

Really? Where are you? I'm in Halton and our health department ran out of vaccines. They're going to be shipping us more, but the big question is when.

Laura

OntRPN · Dec 8, 2003

London, did a clinic last Wed 2200 rolled through and doing another one this Wed

laurasc · Dec 10, 2003

Last Monday I went to the health department to pick up my flu vaccines and was only given 100 doses from the 600 I ordered. They're hoping that they will receive more next week. Well, those 100 doses are almost done. I think I have enough to last most of today and then it's over. (today is Wednesday) Most of their supply is being used in their flu shot clinics.

I can't wait until flu shot season is over! As one health dept nurse told me recently, flu shot season starts and normal life stops. :rolleyes:

Laura

OntRPN · Dec 10, 2003

FLU shot season is like the everready bunny this year keeps on going can't wait to get back to normal mode. Well off to do another flu clinic!!!!!!!!!!

:eek: T

laurasc · Dec 10, 2003

Originally posted by OntRPN
Well off to do another flu clinic!!!!!!!!!!

T

:chuckle

Well good luck to you!

BTW, just curious, do you have a system when it comes to pinning unwilling, screaming little (and not so little) ones down for a flu shot? It was so funny today, I had a family of 3 kids come in all within the "wimpy" ages of 6 and 9. The eldest boy was the worst. Mom couldn't hold him down, so the doc got involved. They couldn't hold him down so I handed the vaccine to the doc and told her to give it while I held the kid. I sat down and got him in a hammer lock and the doc gave him the vaccine. Yes, I know, I'm such a meanie.... :devil: But I'm a meanie with lots of practice! :lol2: The funny thing was that as soon as the needle was given the boy stopped hollering....seems it didn't hurt as much as he thought it would. LOL!

Sometimes I think we should get danger pay, KWIM? I've been kicked, hit, pinched, and one little tyke actually tried to take a bite out of me.

So with all that said, have a great flu shot giving shift. May you have a "safe" time of it.

Laura

OntRPN · Dec 21, 2003

Kids have super strength!!! I always thought it was funny as soon as you say done the crying stops. Yep use the same position you do. The parents that spend 20 minutes "talking" to the children are getting on my nerves.. sit down hold them get it over with!!! We try to use another nurse to hold (if the parent agrees usually they do after the super hulk strength comes out)because we are not afraid to HOLD on.

Our flu shot clinics are over

Theresa

LydiaGreen · Dec 30, 2003

Sorry, but I am one of those parents who spends three days talking to her kid before a shot. Have to. My son is absolutely phobic about needles and requires a lot of preparation. Yes, I spend about twenty minutes talking to him before the needle (usually in the waiting room). He needs it. If this isn't done, he will go into a full on panic attack. I have to do a lot of mental gymnastics to achieve one shot for this boy but it absolutely has to be done. If you try to spring it on him at the last minute, three adults cannot wrestle him out of the car. I am all for trying to reason with a child BEFORE using force. It is also a huge help if the parents use an EMLA patch and tell their child that it will put the skin and underlying muscle to sleep so that they won't feel it. And bribes work too. We bribe my son with whatever trading cards are the rage at the time. I hold that shiny package in front of his face and hold his arm with my other hand. This works for us.

Not trying to flame anyone, but forcing it will only increase a child's fear of the next time, and eventually, they will be too big and strong to hold down. It took four adults to hold my son down when he was three for a blood draw(... that was the start of his needle phobia), by the time he is 14 it would probably require sedation.

OntRPN · Jan 1, 2004

EMLA patch these should not be used before a flu shot it will cause more bleeding if a child has one of these on we will put it in the opposite arm , I am for Brib I do it with my kids but they have no problem with needles, I should not have lumped every child together there is exceptions. If someone knows there child has a problem with needles maybe it would be better to go to the family Doctor.

I should add I faint everytime I get a needle I HATE THEM!!! :eek:

LydiaGreen · Jan 6, 2004

Originally posted by OntRPN
EMLA patch these should not be used before a flu shot it will cause more bleeding if a child has one of these on we will put it in the opposite arm ,

Really!?! The docs office that I worked at recommended it to all parents when they called for an appointment for the flu shot and I never noticed any increased bleeding (the most was a drop or two with ANY patient). If it is contraindicated, I'd sure like to know... I know that there is one of the childhood vaccines that they don't like you to use it with (says the manufacturer) but I had never heard of a problem with the EMLA patch and the flu vaccine. My son had no visible bleeding. Had no idea. I will have to research further.

laurasc · Jan 7, 2004

Originally posted by LydiaGreen
Not trying to flame anyone, but forcing it will only increase a child's fear of the next time, and eventually, they will be too big and strong to hold down. It took four adults to hold my son down when he was three for a blood draw(... that was the start of his needle phobia), by the time he is 14 it would probably require sedation.

I agree.....

I'm one of those nurses who takes the extra time to talk a child into allowing me to give him/her the vaccine willingly. I'm usually pretty good at doing that too....I guess after working in paeds for 10 years I have practice. But sometimes it's necessary to restrain a child and simply "get it over with".

I do understand what it's like to have a frightened child. My 14 year old is so afraid of needles it's not funny. Two years ago hee needed penicillin allergy testing (5 small needles under the skin) and I was forced to give him a whole milligram of Ativan just to do it. Emla is okay, but like OntRPN said, it can cause problems with bleeding occasionally. On top of that, the Emla patch makes the skin tough and doesn't numb the underlying tissue....only the skin.

The best approach, IMO is to be honest and try to talk the child into allowing it to happen. If all else fails and the child still won't allow it, then restraining and giving the child the needle quickly is the only way to do it.

Laura