Vaccines

[CathiP, ASN, RN]

What is the current atmosphere on flu vaccines in LTC? Mandatory or not for staff? Pushback? Hospitals have been mandating them for years. This is the first year out facility has required them. How’s everyone else handling it with the rise in cases? 

[Kitiger, RN]

I work for a home health agency. Flu vaccines have been mandated for years in my agency. Some nurses can't have the vaccine, and that is handled on a case-to-case basis, without any problems.

[CathiP, ASN, RN]

The hospital and home health agency I worked for both required flu vaccines. This is the first year the LTC facility I work for has.  Some people just don’t want to have them, not that they can’t. 

[InHisImage, BSN]

On 12/19/2022 at 7:49 AM, CathiP said:

The hospital and home health agency I worked for both required flu vaccines. This is the first year the LTC facility I work for has.  Some people just don’t want to have them, not that they can’t. 

Of course there are some people that don’t want them but it’s also true that some CAN’T have them without a significant increase in risk to their health.

I have never had a flu vaccine, never worked anywhere they’ve been mandated and have never had the flu.  And BTW, I have also not had any Covid shots and have not had Covid.

ETA:  I’ve had 6 different employers in 15 years as a nurse.

[kbrn2002, ADN, RN]

I worked in LTC for 25 years, flu vaccines were never mandatory though they were highly encouraged. Those that declined were required to wear a mask the entire flu season, that alone was enough to ensure there were only a couple of CNA's that always refused every year.

Of course that was before COVID hit and everybody was wearing not only a mask but full PPE all the time. I left that setting a few months before COVID hit the US so I honestly have not a clue if they are mandating vaccines now or what the policies are for those who can't or just won't get vaccinated.