I'm trying to register for the last semester of classes at the university, but they won't let me until I have the DTaP vaccination.
Whether you believe in vaccinations or you don't, this really isn't about that. It's about trying to reason with beaurocracy.
When the woman (I don't know if she was an instructor or part of the clerical staff) told me that it wasn't the school's rule, I asked her who's rule it was. She told me it was the rule of the hospital where the clinicals would take place.
#1. This seems odd to me, because I was hired on at this very same hospital (I don't work there now, no I wasn't fired) and getting a DTaP vaccine never came up.
#2. I only have one class to take (Professional Leadership) and I'm most certain it is not going to require going to the hospital.
#3. What was with all this crap shoved down our throats in Community Health Nursing about respecting and honoring diversity and others' beliefs, even those such as JWs who don't accept blood products?
#4. I read one of the SE's can be seizures. Since I already have seizures (the staring kind) I wouldn't think I should expose my little body to more substances that might cause more seizures-wonder of that would be a valid argument?)
At the university health clinic I worked at, we did all the vaccination checks for the nursing students. If someone wanted to refuse a shot,, they had to provide a medical reason, and have the form signed by a doctor (pregnancy was included), or a religious reason and have it signed by clergy.
There was always that option available. If these apply to you, I believe that should take care of the problem.
I was told at my school that Tdap (not Dtap, which is for peds)is a requirement starting winter '09, for all nursing students who got their DT vaccine more than 2 yrs ago. The new one is similar to DT except for the addition of antibodies against pertussis (aka whooping cough), which is making a comeback especially in folks like me who were born in the 1970's and were never vaccinated against it.
Unfortunately hospitals do not have to honor your "religious' beliefs or a medical exemption regarding vaccinations. Our hospital now requires that any member who works with children must have the DTaP vaccination, although I have strong religious convictions as well as a medical exception the hospitals response is they can move you to an adult unit.
I have seen an increase in what hospitals deem necessary for patient protection, my questions are always if we use proper PPE how does this put the patient or ourselves at risk? I have high titers for pertussis because I am in contact with children who have this virus yet titers are not acceptable evidence of immunity. I fear that soon hospitals will insist on the flu vaccine. Soon the profession will loose another nurse because I won't go against my beliefs.
Specializes in A little of this & a little of that.
Actually, people born in the 70's were vaccinated for diptheria, pertussis and tetorifice. The immunity for pertussis wears off just as it does for tetorifice. That is why people are being revaccinated.
If Golytely's PCP will write a note, she's off the hook. it is the pertussis omponent that is most likely to cause problems. Even children with neuro issues like seizures are given the alternate TD vaccine. I do think it would be really great if you went back and studied public health and what the world was like before vaccines.
If the hospital employed you in a non-nursing position that doesn't mean they don't require nurses to have this vaccine. Although it doesn't apply to you, nursing students do go into newborn nurseries where the little ones are at high risk from pertussis. This requirement is also new in most places, based on the most recent findings by the CDC and WHO, so it may have been instituted after you were employed.
to be honest i'm kind of surprised that you're so resistant to something that's designed to protect you, though i understand the concern over your history of seizures. But most side effects beyond a sore arm are pretty rare. If you're that worried talk to your PCP.
Reality is we're in a profession that'll get us exposed to just about anything so we might as well protect ourselves. Usually it is the hospitals that makes these rules for documenting immunizations for nursing students. I don't know if you worked there as a nurse in the past, but at least at my institution they wanted documentation that i was up to date on my immunizations.
and no offense, but in terms of point #3, the main difference here is that JW's have a deeply routed spiritual belief, and you seem to just not want to get a shot. So thats the main distinction when it comes to respecting diversity and beliefs. The argument doesn't work too well if you've accepted other immunizations that list some rare nasty side effects as well.
It does not matter how deeply rooted your beliefs are, if a person wants no injections because they want no injections, that is their call.
A few weeks ago I refused a flu vaccine. Why? In writing, I told the school of nursing "Because I don't want any additional holes in my body"
This is America, you DO have the right to refuse things. The hospitals around here don't even push things. If you refuse from them, they just shrug. Maybe it is regional, but around here we respect self-determination.
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
I also believe in vaccines, but support those who choose not to. It is funny that this is brought up today, because yesterday, I ran into my son's father on my way home from work. My 22 year old son keeps in touch with him much more often than I do, and he mentioned to me that his 3 year old son has autism, and he strongly believes that it was from the series of childhood vaccinations he received. He told me that after receiving his vaccine series at about 6 months of age, he had a seizure (first and only time), and this lead to a marked change in his behavior. When he was close to 2 years old, he was diagnosed with autism.
This was like a kick in my stomach, because well, this was close to home. I don't talk to this man really, but that is my son's brother, and he looks an awful lot like my son when he was his age. Makes me wonder who will be around to take care of him if something happens to his parents. I asked my son how he felt about it, and if he would ever consider getting involved in his brother's care if something happens to his father. And the fact that it was very probable that it was due to a vaccination...how do I, as a nurse, advocate for something that we aren't sure about? Just pondering...
In any event, I would ask the hospital if this is necessary, what needs to be brought in so that you can bypass this, if possible and then see what happens.
Dude you should come work in our ER, you'd fit right in with all of us witty smartasses.
Yah, ERs tend to have good attitudes. However, my floor actually has some pretty good humorists, the women are pretty AND laugh at my jokes. Even the crappy c-dif covered ones!
LOL You work telemetry or oncology? Because it's been my experience (before I was a marked man) that telemetry and oncology always have the prettiest women. you're in TN though right? I used to kinda date a girl from Knoxville, TN is full of beautiful women.
Med-Surge, non telemetry, and generally no oncology either. GI mostly. We are kind of blessed on my floor, two women who are Grandmothers are just dang beautiful. The younger ones are just WOOHOO. In class though, we have a few that make it hard to take tests.
NickiLaughs, ADN, BSN, RN
2,387 Posts
At the university health clinic I worked at, we did all the vaccination checks for the nursing students. If someone wanted to refuse a shot,, they had to provide a medical reason, and have the form signed by a doctor (pregnancy was included), or a religious reason and have it signed by clergy.
There was always that option available. If these apply to you, I believe that should take care of the problem.