Should student nurses be required to get the H1N1 vaccine

SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN · Oct 30, 2009

If it is available I think one should get it. However, supplies will probably make it a moot point.

StrwbryblndRN · Oct 30, 2009

It should be your right to refuse. Does not matter the reason.

risa426 · Oct 30, 2009

I'm also a nursing student, and do not think that we should be required to get it! I don't see how we are allowed to sign a waiver for the Hep B vaccine, but are forced to get the flu vaccine (seasonal flu or H1N1). It just doesn't make sense to me.

tiffanyleigh0212 · Oct 30, 2009

I got mine last night, my mom's work was giving it out for free to employer families. I was iffy on getting it since it's new, but I have horrible asthma and I didn't want to take a chance of getting it and then having to miss school. However, I don't think it should be forced.

Meredith09 · Oct 30, 2009

Should not be mandatory, period.

llg, PhD, RN · Oct 30, 2009

Many schools are caught in the middle on this one. Regardless of what school officials may think of the issues, if the clinical sites that the students go to are requiring it, the school has only 3 choices:

1. Require the students to get it

2. Cancel clinicals and force the students to wait until the clinical sites drop their requirement (which might be never.)

3. Leave it up to the students to decide whether or not they want to continue in school this year by getting immunized and doing their clinicals or take a leave of absence from school and see what happens in the future

Either way, from the students' perspective, it's either "Get immunized or don't go to clinicals" -- and there is nothing the school can do about that.

Cindy-san · Oct 30, 2009

My school required it when the NYS mandate was in effect, but now that it's been suspended, they're also not requiring it.

Personally, I don't want it. I'm not working. I'm not in clinical. I get rather sick whenever I get these things. Give it to someone in a high risk group.

StrwbryblndRN · Oct 30, 2009

Masks should be given as an option too. It would not be right to have someone who is unable to get a vaccine be eliminated from becoming nurse. At some point they would have to have clinicals during flu season.

cop2bnurse41 · Oct 30, 2009

Its your body not there's! I dont think it should be manditory seems a bit unconstitional to me. In New York they have backed of the mandatory thing because a nurse somewhere filed a lawsuit or so I have heard.

kcochrane · Oct 30, 2009

Our school required the flu vaccine. They did at first require the H1N1, but also backed off after the hold in the courts in NYS. Our school had a clinic last Tues. and Wed. and encouraged us to get one. Their thought process is that if the temporary injunction is lifted, students will be scambling to find one...so they might as well take atvantage of it now.

I went ahead, because I would have gotten it anyways. I have a husband with medical issues, would prefer not to miss school or work due to it and really just don't want the swine flu. I am old enough that I was one of those during the '70's that had another version of the swine flu vax.

Should it be mandatory? I'm on the fence about that.

Riseupandnurse · Oct 31, 2009

Before this week I would have said no, shouldn't be mandatory. This week the 51 year old father of a nurse I know quite well came very close to dying from the flu, or to be more precise the pneumonia that followed his flu. he was previously healthy but his life almost ended in an ICU on a ventilator. I'm sorry but watching this nurse's anguish changed my mind. A vaccine is such a little price to pay to prevent a tragedy of this magnitude. So unless there are health reasons, I think everyone who can should get vaccinated.