Vaccine controversy

Specialties NP

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Specializes in Reproductive & Public Health.

I *was* that anti-vax mom, I am embarrased to say. It took a looong time for me to realize how wrong I was. My kids' pediatrician never once questioned me on my decision to not vaccinate. I wish they had; maybe I would have come around sooner. Maybe I wouldn't have spent so many years spreading this dangerous misinformation to others. Awful, just awful. :(

I don't work in pediatrics. Most commonly I deal with this related to gardasil and flu- for some reason people are especially dubious about these two.

If someone is vaccine hesitant, ask them why in a nice and conversational manner. If possible, explain how vaccines work, address their concerns with basic facts, and don't try to get them to agree. Just say the info and move on. I usually say something like "Okay its totally your decision, but you deserve to know the info so I'm just going to run through it with you, to make sure you don't have any other questions." No scare tactics, zero pressure or expectation. Top priority is maintaining that therapeutic relationship.

It takes slow exposure over time. You likely will not change someone's mind in the moment, but you've planted a seed.

What controversy? Either get the shot, wear the mask, or don't work in healthcare. You have 3 choices.

From the OP.

"What are some successful methods you have used to educate patients and parents on the benefits of vaccinating according to the schedule???"

Farawyn

12,646 Posts

From the OP.

"What are some successful methods you have used to educate patients and parents on the benefits of vaccinating according to the schedule???"

Whooops!!! More coffee.

Specializes in Palliative, Onc, Med-Surg, Home Hospice.
I find that beating them into submission with an uncooked kielbasa usually works...:no:

Frozen? I only ask because my brother had great luck with getting to stop nagging him by hitting me over the head with frozen summer sausage. :)

Specializes in Community and Public Health, Addictions Nursing.
As a nurse practitioner for over a decade and a relatively new mom, I have very strong opinions about vaccinations.

This can be one of your strategies: personal experience.

Having worked in pediatrics for the past decade, I've had several conversations with families about vaccinating their children. Every conversation has been just as unique as the family in front of me, and so I find there's no magic bullet or one thing you can say to change everyone's mind. Quite honestly, I have chosen to invest minimal energy into speaking with many of these families, because it's pretty apparent from their attitudes, etc., that nothing is going to change.

But I digress. For the families that I have had effective conversations with, I have taken the time to first find out exactly what it is about vaccines that concerns them. Then, I tailor the talk to these concerns. Some concerns are pretty basic and families just need a little updating on ingredients in vaccines, the fact that Hepatitis A still exists, etc. A lot of concerns have been related to the vague topic of vaccine "safety", which can be interpreted to include autism, vaccine death, and a whole other bunch of issues. When it comes to vaccine safety, sharing with folks (if you're comfortable) that you have a child of your own and vaccinate can be super reassuring. I've also told people that as a nurse, my priority is helping people and keeping them safe and healthy, and that I would never do something to hurt a person, which includes injecting them with dangerous substances (and, to follow, vaccines are not dangerous). Because I personally spent several years administering vaccines, I will share what side effects I've seen and what side effects I have not seen (aka autism and death). For younger parents, I will point out to them that many of the vaccines their babies will receive are now the same vaccines that the parents received at that age, because many vaccines have been around for several years and their formulations haven't changed.

This is just a hodge-podge of various strategies that have worked for me, but again, I've also had plenty of failures. Sometimes, you're going to have families that will pick and choose which vaccines they want to give, or set their own alternative schedules, or whatever, and I'm personally ok with that as a last resort, since I figure some vaccinating is better than none. And if a person doesn't vaccinate at all, well, I just let it go, but I'm also an RN and not a primary care or other medical provider, so I'm not ultimately in charge of a person's healthcare.

Trauma Columnist

traumaRUs, MSN, APRN

88 Articles; 21,249 Posts

Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Moved to NP forum

As a nurse practitioner for over a decade and a relatively new mom, I have very strong opinions about vaccinations. I have unfortunately seen many vaccine preventable illnesses such as measles, mumps, varicella, rotavirus, HIB and pertussis to name a few. It infuriates me when I hear that people choose not to vaccinate for silly and unfounded reasons.

What are some successful methods you have used to educate patients and parents on the benefits of vaccinating according to the schedule???

Thank you!

To start, think of other people with respect. What is silly to you is not to them. That's a very dismissive term and not likely to endear you or your beliefs to others.

We've sort of crossed the event horizon with wacko conspiracy theory stuff in the current climate in the US. With politics, sure. But also the anti-vaccers and now there is a huge growth in Flat-Earthers. I **** you not. In a certain nerd gaming group I belong to I met some folks that believe the Earth is flat and the reminded me a lot of the anti vaccine folks. They have an answer for everything. For example, they will point to any video of the stick on the South Pole and claim that the shadows demonstrate video editing.

Mark my word, we will see a Flat-Earther elected to a school board in our lifetime.

You can't reason with them or the anti-vaccine plonkers. Policy is key. No vaccinations-- your kid can't attend school. It's going to take some very serious mumps and measles outbreaks to put the needed protections in place.

To start, think of other people with respect. What is silly to you is not to them. That's a very dismissive term and not likely to endear you or your beliefs to others.

Wrong. These people are a hazard and they should not be coddled nor validated in any way. No vaccine- no driver's license. No vaccine- no social security card.

Guests

Guest

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From a clinic perspective, I do try to utilize a strategy with adult patients:

1. I pick and choose my battles with the most important vaccines with the strongest data.

2. I attempt to build trust with them where I can. I am happy to listen to their "argument". I present the data in simple terms based on their level of understanding. If I get the "I've done my research" I ask them to share with me what they have learned and ask where they learned it from. I then share what I have learned and explain where I learned it from.

3. I ask follow-up questions to what they'd said and if they are unable to answer my questions I suggest that they need to do more research and I give them some independent resources for that.

4. I treat them the best that I can regardless of their choices.

From a population perspective:

The majority of these people have very little knowledge and a lot of confirmation bias and regardless of what you present to them they will only hear what they want to. The only response we have at this level is to never let their unsubstantiated pseudoscience go unchallenged. For every internet post there should be a HCP there reminding other readers of the total junk that is being displayed. We might not be able to change their minds but we may change the minds of those not fully indoctrinated.

Accolay

339 Posts

I find that beating them into submission with an uncooked kielbasa usually works...:no:

Why uncooked? Less breakage?

Jedrnurse, BSN, RN

2,776 Posts

Specializes in school nurse.
Why uncooked? Less breakage?

More microorganisms = more motivation to get vaccinations...

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