Flu season is upon us, and I'm sure some of you reading may have opted to get a flu shot this year. Personally, I have never received the flu shot in my life. After looking into volunteering options at the local hospital, however, I found out that I'd be required to get the flu shot if I wanted to volunteer. While I can see why it makes sense that anyone working in such an environment should get the shot, but it still struck me odd that it was a requirement. What if I felt that it was unnecessary to have one? I decided to see if this was a "hot topic" for other nurses, and here is what I was able to come up with.
Arguments FOR Mandatory Flu Shots
- Patient Safety- Many hospitals cite this as being their main reason to require flu shots. These hospitals don't want their patients to contract the flu from the people who are supposed to be caring for them.
- Effectiveness of the Vaccine- Karin Lillis, director of Loyola University Medical Center's infection control program, said that the flu shot is effective 70% of the time. This is a huge way to reduce the spread of the flu, just by getting one shot.
- Staff At Increased Risk- If the staff passes around the flu, then more sick days will be used by doctors in nurses than by those who don't contract the flu.
Arguments For Individual Choice
- Side Effects- As you are essentially putting the virus into your body, you have a chance of becoming ill. Another interesting thing I read was that one flu vaccine, Fluvax, may cause 2 to 3 times more hospitalizations for seizures than what it would prevent for the flu.
- It Sets A Model- If it's ok to force medical professionals to get the flu vaccine, should it be required for everyone who comes into contact with a hospital and doctors office?
- It's Unnecessary- According to Nurse Journal, "most people who are healthy when they contract the flu do not experience any adverse effects and are left with a natural immunity to the virus that made them ill."
Alternatives To The Flu Vaccine
- Hand Washing- According to the Centers for Disease Control, washing your hands is the best way to keep you from catching and spreading infections.
- Masks- I have personally seen many health care workers wearing masks to prevent the spread of illnesses. This is especially effective for airborne diseases like the flu.
- Isolation- While I'm sure this is easier said than done, keeping patients with the flu away from other patients is also an effective way of preventing the spread of the illness.
96.5% of health care workers opt to get the flu vaccine for the sake of keeping their job. Is this right? What do you think? If your job required you to get it, would you? Let us know what you think!
-Brooke B.
LINK TO ARTICLE:
http://nursejournal.org/community/should-nurses-be-forced-to-get-flu-shots/
"Should Nurses Be Forced to Get Flu Shots?" NurseJournal.org. Nurse Journal, n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2015.
Brooke,
ReplyDeleteVery interesting post on a hot button issue in the world today. Should people be vaccinated? In my own personal opinion it's ridiculous that people chose not to be vaccinated in general, much less for a flu virus. Webmd.com states that the flu shot reduces chances of getting the flu by 70%-90%. Also your alternatives to the vaccines are preventative measures, and are in no way better than stopping the flu than the actual vaccine. Washing hands should be and is something we do many times a day and people still contract the sickness. Again very interesting post, thanks!
I agree that the preventative measures, including hand washing, are ones that are already done, and don't stop the sickness. Thats why they made this vaccine! Getting the vaccine helps decrease the chance of any disease spreading. In my personal opinion, I see nothing wrong with requiring there to be flu shots for those who are around it, like doctors and nurses. Medical professionals should want the best for their patients, and by not getting one you're risking your patients health. (The complete opposite goal of what their job is supposed to be!)
DeleteInteresting topic indeed. This all goes back to professional ethics. It is necessary that the people taking care of us are protected . as well.Some people might feel that they have the right to choose but when it comes to health and safety l would say otherwise. I definitely agree MSU Business Squad that it is imperative for all people to get vaccinations. If one has side effects, medical personnel will always find an alternative.In as much as preventive measures come in handy they are nothing compared to getting a required shot.
ReplyDeleteEthics is definitely important in all professions, I like how you made this connection. Nursing ethics talks about the care for the patient being number once, which we discussed in one of our previous blog posts. (http://msuprospectivenurses.blogspot.com/2015/10/prompt-2-defining-ethics-in-nursing.html) Vaccines are the best way to prevent the spread of diseases in my opinion, which is why college students are required to get them before we come.
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