The flu shot making people sick

[psu_213]

It's not my intention to start a debate on the flu shot, but I'm afraid it's going to happen in this thread. Oh well, here we go....

I work in the ER. About 6 nurses were talking last evening about the flu shot. The vaccination is highly encouraged at out hospital, but not required. 4 of the nurses said they would not get it and all four INSISTED that flu shots make them deathly ill. One nurse even said that when she worked in oncology, she was required to get the flu shot and then "spent the next 3 days curled up in bed." The next year, when required to get the shot, an oncology doctor told her the shot would not make her sick, but she told the doc "yeah right, I spent 3 days in bed with a high fever...there is no way you are making me take that again."

I don't want a debate about someone's right to refuse the flu shot; however, I was stunned by the level of ignorance by these nurses. There are reasons to not get the shot, but saying "the shot makes me sick" is not one of them.

OK, so that was a rant....just try and resist the urge to argue for or against required flu shots.

[dapc]

So you refuse to take a flu shot because you have been immune-suppressed and battled for your life. Now you have to wear a mask and have allergies and asthma. The last time i received a flu shot in 2005 a week later came down with the flu... out 3 weeks. I am wearing a mask to protect the patients and the nurses that got their vaccine. ?? If they are vaccinated why am I protecting them?? Because the vaccine may not cover the flu this year. EXACTLY!! Everyone should wear a mask the whole 13 hours!!

[dapc]

Flu vaccine safe? Not by any definition. Look at CDC website for ingredients!

[emtb2rn, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

Hey wait, we have pulses! Call the code chill.

Humphries? Really? And we now return you to the flat earth society's presentation of "science ain't no thing, yo".

[Farawyn]

Hey wait, we have pulses! Call the code chill.

Humphries? Really? And we now return you to the flat earth society's presentation of "science ain't no thing, yo".

emtb2rn, you are trying like Hell to euthanize these flu threads, but they ain't signed no DNR yet!

[wtbcrna, MSN, DNP, CRNA]

Flu vaccine safe? Not by any definition. Look at CDC website for ingredients!

I guess if you don't understand basic science at all then you could believe what she is saying.

Vaccines are the number 1 health advance that medicine has ever had. There is no other medication that has decreased the number of mortalities or led to as large of a decrease in preventable physical malformations than vaccines.

Most vaccine ingredients you either produce naturally such as formaldehyde or is part of your regular environment/diet i.e. aluminum.

Vaccines: Vac-Gen/Additives in Vaccines Fact Sheet

[Elvish, BSN, DNP, RN, NP]

Going to Central America with NP school in the spring. Got a HepA vaccine a couple days ago. Made me a bit locally sore, maybe a little achy all over.

I'll take that over getting sick with HepA in a developing country every day of the week.

Not flu, but I'll take it anyway.

[sharkbacon]

So, honestly, I get the little sicky side effects (fever, soreness, tiredness, just feeling yuck), but only for a day or two after. And after having a legitimate, diagnosed, flu a few years back, I won't ever skip a flu vaccine again. Being "sick" for 2 days is ten thousand times better than the solid 3 weeks of misery (and the long-lasting cough after). And I've always worked in facilities that required the flu shot or wearing a face mask when the flu become regional, until flu season is over. So it's technically not mandated, but really, do you want to wear that mask for four months?

My biggest flu pet peeve is the term "stomach flu." When people get the diarrhea and nausea for two or three days, and then say it was a stomach flu, and actually think that's what the flu is? I feel like that's a huge reason people around this area don't get vaccinated-- because they don't actually realize what the flu is. They think it's not so bad. WRONG.

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

My biggest flu pet peeve is the term "stomach flu." When people get the diarrhea and nausea for two or three days, and then say it was a stomach flu, and actually think that's what the flu is? I feel like that's a huge reason people around this area don't get vaccinated-- because they don't actually realize what the flu is. They think it's not so bad. WRONG.

Yep. What's so bad about saying GI upset/distress? Even health care workers (some of my non-nursing coworkers) say this too. No, the flu is a potentially vicious disease that can land one in ICU for days/weeks. Now if only we could get the general public understanding that. And that antibiotics are useless for viral illnesses, but that's another topic for another day.

[Nurse Leigh]

Yep. What's so bad about saying GI upset/distress? Even health care workers (some of my non-nursing coworkers) say this too. No, the flu is a potentially vicious disease that can land one in ICU for days/weeks. Now if only we could get the general public understanding that. And that antibiotics are useless for viral illnesses, but that's another topic for another day.

Omg...one of my anatomy instructors was rabid about this - the flu affects the pulmonary system and the stomach is certainly not a part of that.

It is a head scratcher when health care professionals don't seem to grasp that.

[Nonyvole, BSN, RN]

Or, we'll choose to use the term stomach flu because that is what the patient understands.

I always toss in a bit of education on why that dx has morning to do withthe influenza virus,though.

[carrina]

All these health care providers and no one is mentioning the risky additives in the flue shot that are likely to make people sick who already have immune system problems (common).

[carrina]

Arguably, some simply cannot. Certainly anyone who has worked as a nurse for even a short amount of time has come across patients who give you lots of reasons, often an impressive variety of reasons, as to why they aren't going to comply with their course of treatment--medication schedules--smoking cessation---diabetic diet--followups---etc. Doesn't make them valid reasons, just their reasons.

The medical establishment has hit rock bottom when they treat patients as if they have absolutely no say in their medication schedule. you should have worked this out with them before trying to shove it down their throat.

"refuse to comply with schedule"

This is unacceptable. I've never continued getting service from an establishment that treated me this way. I assume its because hospitals make so much money off the sick, they now think they are god. And they have a slew of drones to back them up. I understand loyalty to your employer, I understand complying with their practices, but to allow them to take power where it was't given, I find it disgusting.