To Flu Shot or Not??

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I will be starting Nursing School in Jan 09 (yay!)

I went to get my immunizations in order.

When I asked about the flu shots, the nurses in the office said not to get it, it made them all sick.

What do you think? Should we get flu shots or not?

Specializes in Taking one day at a time....

I recieved my flu shot when we gave out flu shots in clinical, it was such an awesome experience!.... Except, it wasnt too much fun while your partner had shaky hands & was freaking out because you were the first person they were giving a flu shot to, lol. But, regardless, we all survived and we all recieved the flu shots while practicing on eachother...

I recommend getting it. This was my first time I have ever had it, and all I had was a sore arm afterwards...

I am also going to get the meningitis vaccine in a few weeks.

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Specializes in DD, HHC, Med Surg, PCU, Resource.

I have gotten a flu shot for the last few years as well. My dh never gets one. Out of the two of us he has been the one that usually has the sniffles all winter. He said he will get one this year.

I had a red, sore, itchy bump for a few days but that was it. The Tetnus I got to start NS was much worse. It was swollen and very sore for weeks.

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I would get the vaccination both to protect myself from all the potentially sick people I come in contact with, as well as to protect the patients. (BTW, I got my shot in November.) Speaking as someone who spent 10 days flat on her back with the flu one year, unable to do anything other than get out of bed to pee and cram some soup down my throat -- if the vaccination can possibly prevent that again, I am all for it. I can't afford to lose 10 days of my life to the flu. And dang, I was sick! (So was my hubby, who now also gets his flu shot.)

Everyone has to decide for her/himself what to do, but like I said, if it were me, I would get it.

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The first time I had the flu shot, I developed hives. The 2-4 times I was okay. I haven't had the flu in years. I know some people who don't get flu shots and they either get the flu or they don't. It depends on the individual.

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Specializes in Cardiac Critical Care.

I never got a flu shot until I was sick with the flu for 3 weeks a few years ago. Every year since then, I've gotten one, and it makes be feel pretty lousy for about 12 hours. I know its a dead virus, so I'm not sure how that works, but my temperature always hits 102 the night that i get a flu shot. HOWEVER, i still get a flu shot because I always feel fine in the morning, and I haven't gotten the flu since I've been getting shots. I just make sure that I don't have anything to do that night, and I go to bed.

So basically, I think you just have to make a decision for yourself. If it doesn't bother you to get the shot, you should definitely get it.

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I have been an LPN for three years and finishing my RN now. I used to always refuse the flu shot b/c of negative press. However, earlier this year I had the flu (influenze-B). I was laid up in bed with a fever for 4 days straight and the nasty cough lingered for three entire months. Since that I told myself I will def get the flu shot. I got it end of October and have not been sick (knock on wood). Good luck.

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Sometimes, people have adverse reactions to the flu shot, even though it's a dead virus. I used to think it was all psychological. I rarely get the flu, so I rarely get the flu shot. Even during clinicals, I didn't get the flu shot and I never got sick.

This year, I decided to get the flu shot because it was pretty cheap at my school. A lot of non-nursing students kept saying they wouldn't get the shot because it makes you sick. Well, I didn't belive that and kept telling them to get it since it was a dead virus and the "sickness" was probably psychological. Ha ha. Serves me right. Well, a day after getting the flu shot, I woke up with a low fever and aches all over. So my new conclusion is it is not psychological. It is possible to get "sick" after getting the flu shot. I don't think it's coincidence because I rarely get the flu, even when I'm around sick people (I have an awesome immune system).

I agree with a previous poster. If you usually get the flu, get the shot. If you rarely get sick, you can bypass it. Anyway, the flu shot is based on the virus professionals think will be going around this year. We all know the virus constantly changes and it's not a 100% guarantee that you won't get it.

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I get the flu shot every year. But I made sure I got it early this year, since I am in clinical. I would believe most programs are like mine with you only being able to miss one clinical per semester. I prefer to "save" that absence for an emergency and not worry about being sick. So yes, I would advise someone in school to get it just for that reason only. But it also a good idea not to expose already sick people to the flu if you don't have to.

Like others have said, the flu vaccine will not give you the flu. As they have said, it takes up to two weeks for immunization and you could get exposes before or during that time. It also protects you against 3-4 different strains, but if you get one not in the vaccine, you should not be hit as hard.

Last year I waited until December to get mine and ended up getting the flu about a week later. But I was told that last year's vaccine was not as effective as they wanted.

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Specializes in Urgent Care NP, Emergency Nursing, Camp Nursing.

As other posters have mentioned, some people will get a low fever, aches, etc. for about a day or so after the shot. This is the body's immune system reacting to the antigen being presented and is not the actual flu. Even though I've not had this reaction from the shot, I'd prefer this to full-blown influenza.

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Specializes in Oncology/Research, Hemodialysis.

I had bells palsy in my teenage years and was always told by my family doctor to not get the flu shot due to the slim chance (25%) of a reemergence of bells palsy or possible progression to Guillain-Barré syndrome. I have researched and have found some evidence to support this. Has anyone else heard of this possibly occurring?

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I had bells palsy in my teenage years and was always told by my family doctor to not get the flu shot due to the slim chance (25%) of a reemergence of bells palsy or possible progression to Guillain-Barré syndrome. I have researched and have found some evidence to support this. Has anyone else heard of this possibly occurring?

Someone just posted a link to the CDC showing a small but supportable link to an increased possibility of GBS after receiving the shot.

I'd sure listen to the doc on this one, onc.

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I had bells palsy in my teenage years and was always told by my family doctor to not get the flu shot due to the slim chance (25%) of a reemergence of bells palsy or possible progression to Guillain-Barré syndrome. I have researched and have found some evidence to support this. Has anyone else heard of this possibly occurring?

I've heard that if you have had Guillain-Barré there's a small chance that the flu shot might cause it to reoccur. So, you should chat with your Doc before having the shot. But I hadn't heard anything about Bells palsy.

Peace,

CuriousMe

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