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Should health care workers be required to receive injections meant to prevent disease

Should health care workers be required to receive injections meant to prevent disease

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Somerville

Somerville

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Should health care workers be required to receive injections meant to prevent disease?

Story behind the question
Flu Epidemic: Hospitals Crack Down On Workers Who Refuse Shots

— Patients can refuse a flu shot. Should doctors and nurses have that right, too? That is the thorny question surfacing as U.S. hospitals increasingly crack down on employees who won't get flu shots, with some workers losing their jobs over their refusal.

"Where does it say that I am no longer a patient if I'm a nurse," wondered Carrie Calhoun, a longtime critical care nurse in suburban Chicago who was fired last month after she refused a flu shot.

Hospitals' get-tougher measures coincide with an earlier-than-usual flu season hitting harder than in recent mild seasons. Flu is widespread in most states, and at least 20 children have died.

Most doctors and nurses do get flu shots. But in the past two months, at least 15 nurses and other hospital staffers in four states have been fired for refusing, and several others have resigned, according to affected workers, hospital authorities and published reports.
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Re: Should health care workers be required to receive injections meant to prevent dis

Somerville said:
Should health care workers be required to receive injections meant to prevent disease?

Story behind the question
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The better question is: What "public contact" workers should not be required to get them? Many other professions are in frequent contact with the elderly, the young and those "at high risk" of infection from a flu virus. As with anything else, this nation has to make a choice; total nanny state control or individual rights. Also, if it is a gov't mandate then it must be gov't funded, equally and for all.
 
Re: Should health care workers be required to receive injections meant to prevent dis

Somerville said:
Should health care workers be required to receive injections meant to prevent disease?

Story behind the question
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I think this will result in a Constitutional challenge. I faced the same thing back when flu shots were made with attenuated viruses. I had been told due to an almost fatal reaction to never take another. But now that it is made with recombinant DNA, I have no trouble with it. It is unconstitutional to force medical treatment on a person who is not mentally ill and a danger to self or others. Those two criteria are the standard.
 
Re: Should health care workers be required to receive injections meant to prevent dis

I think they should be encouraged to get the shots, but not required as for flu. Things like Hepatitis I am a little more conflicted about. I wouldn't want Typhoid Mary walking around an ICU unit where the patients are already at high risk for new infections.
 
Re: Should health care workers be required to receive injections meant to prevent dis

Maenad said:
I think this will result in a Constitutional challenge. I faced the same thing back when flu shots were made with attenuated viruses. I had been told due to an almost fatal reaction to never take another. But now that it is made with recombinant DNA, I have no trouble with it. It is unconstitutional to force medical treatment on a person who is not mentally ill and a danger to self or others. Those two criteria are the standard.
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The bolded bit is the argument the hospitals are using when they demand their employees get the flu shots.

one reason
Nationally, 20 children have died from the flu this season. There is no running tally of adult deaths, but the CDC estimates that the flu kills about 24,000 people in an average year.
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Re: Should health care workers be required to receive injections meant to prevent dis

Somerville said:
The bolded bit is the argument the hospitals are using when they demand their employees get the flu shots.

one reason
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But you have to also be mentally ill to have treatment forced on you. State laws are clear on that.
 
Re: Should health care workers be required to receive injections meant to prevent dis

Fisher said:
I think they should be encouraged to get the shots, but not required as for flu. Things like Hepatitis I am a little more conflicted about. I wouldn't want Typhoid Mary walking around an ICU unit where the patients are already at high risk for new infections.
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They can't force you to get vaccinated for hepatitis either. The health care worker is more at risk for that than they patients.
 
Re: Should health care workers be required to receive injections meant to prevent dis

I am not opposed to people refusing and I am not opposed to people being fired for refusing.
 
Re: Should health care workers be required to receive injections meant to prevent dis

I don't want to be forced to get a flu shot.
 
Re: Should health care workers be required to receive injections meant to prevent dis

Lets put this in the perspective of the patients and the adminstrations of hospitals.
The flu kills, it doesnt normally kill healthy younger people, it does kill older and weaker and sick people. Check the statistics the flu kills millions over years. The flu is recurring and ever changing it comes back over and over.

Health care providers are supposed to do just that...not infect others with the flu that are very susceptible to dieing.
My cousin worked in maximum security prision for 30 yrs it was mandatory he got TB vaccinations and other vaccinations...
If the agency is going to be liable for the results I dont see anything wrong with requiring shots to prevent the spread of disease or sickness...If its a requirement of employment then the employee accepts it or not.
 
Re: Should health care workers be required to receive injections meant to prevent dis

Maenad said:
They can't force you to get vaccinated for hepatitis either. The health care worker is more at risk for that than they patients.
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Mandatory shots should be for sickness that you as a health care provider and employee could spread to others...as I see it anyway
 
Re: Should health care workers be required to receive injections meant to prevent dis

lpast said:
Mandatory shots should be for sickness that you as a health care provider and employee could spread to others...as I see it anyway
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Well you are wrong. Forcing immunizations has met with constitutional challenges from parents. I'm surprised someone hasn't brought this up. Immunizing children is not mandatore eveidenced by the resurgence of whooping cough. But the parent can be charged with neglect. And schools do not have to allow your child to attend without immunizations. That is a school policy which may have been challenged in the courts, but I"m not sure. I know that I was persecuted a fair amount because I didn't have a small pox vaccination scar. But I used to spend my days playing in a pasture with my friends and the smallpox vaccine is made from cow pox. No reaction in the way of a sore could have indicated that I was already immune. Could have. There are many I know in the field of immunology who disagree with this. So I may not have immunity. Or I may have immunity from the 2 shots I got without a reaction. Just because I didn't get a sore doesn't mean that it didn't stimulate the production of antibodies.
 
Re: Should health care workers be required to receive injections meant to prevent dis

Maenad said:
Well you are wrong. Forcing immunizations has met with constitutional challenges from parents. I'm surprised someone hasn't brought this up. Immunizing children is not mandatore eveidenced by the resurgence of whooping cough. But the parent can be charged with neglect. And schools do not have to allow your child to attend without immunizations. That is a school policy which may have been challenged in the courts, but I"m not sure. I know that I was persecuted a fair amount because I didn't have a small pox vaccination scar. But I used to spend my days playing in a pasture with my friends and the smallpox vaccine is made from cow pox. No reaction in the way of a sore could have indicated that I was already immune. Could have. There are many I know in the field of immunology who disagree with this. So I may not have immunity. Or I may have immunity from the 2 shots I got without a reaction. Just because I didn't get a sore doesn't mean that it didn't stimulate the production of antibodies.
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Well I didnt say it was law...I gave my opinion is all...and I was giving my opinion strictly about Health Care workers being mandated to get immunized...not immunizations in general.
 
Re: Should health care workers be required to receive injections meant to prevent dis

lpast said:
Lets put this in the perspective of the patients and the adminstrations of hospitals.
The flu kills, it doesnt normally kill healthy younger people, it does kill older and weaker and sick people. Check the statistics the flu kills millions over years. The flu is recurring and ever changing it comes back over and over.

Health care providers are supposed to do just that...not infect others with the flu that are very susceptible to dieing.
My cousin worked in maximum security prision for 30 yrs it was mandatory he got TB vaccinations and other vaccinations...
If the agency is going to be liable for the results I dont see anything wrong with requiring shots to prevent the spread of disease or sickness...If its a requirement of employment then the employee accepts it or not.
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Guess what. So does AIDS. And you cannot refuse to hire an AIDS infected nurse. An AIDS infected nurse who is giving you care to open wounds and doing invasive procedures. Look that up in your Funk and Wagnals. The case law is there. Moreover you can't refuse admission to a nursing school of an AIDS infected student. Read it and weep. I'd rather get the flu than AIDS.
 
Re: Should health care workers be required to receive injections meant to prevent dis

lpast said:
Well I didnt say it was law...I gave my opinion is all...and I was giving my opinion strictly about Health Care workers being mandated to get immunized...not immunizations in general.
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Your rights do not end when you cross your employer's threshold.
 
Re: Should health care workers be required to receive injections meant to prevent dis

if they aren't allergic to eggs, yes. I was required to get one this year, and I'm not even around patients. it's common sense for health care workers to be vaccinated, and they should by definition be educated enough to reject anti-vax woo outright.
 
Re: Should health care workers be required to receive injections meant to prevent dis

Maenad said:
Guess what. So does AIDS. And you cannot refuse to hire an AIDS infected nurse. An AIDS infected nurse who is giving you care to open wounds and doing invasive procedures. Look that up in your Funk and Wagnals. The case law is there. Moreover you can't refuse admission to a nursing school of an AIDS infected student. Read it and weep. I'd rather get the flu than AIDS.
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Unless you plan to have unprotected sex with the nurse, you are safer than they are.
 
Re: Should health care workers be required to receive injections meant to prevent dis

Helix said:
if they aren't allergic to eggs, yes. I was required to get one this year, and I'm not even around patients. it's common sense for health care workers to be vaccinated, and they should by definition be educated enough to reject anti-vax woo outright.
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Heathcare workers have a duty of care toward their patients which includes not exposing them to unnecessary risk. Likewise it the hospital's duty as an employer to minimise risk to the nurse by providing protection from easily transmissible infections, from standardised procedures, to protective clothing to immunisation.
 
Re: Should health care workers be required to receive injections meant to prevent dis

Manc Skipper said:
Unless you plan to have unprotected sex with the nurse, you are safer than they are.
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That is not true since I don't have AIDS.
 
Re: Should health care workers be required to receive injections meant to prevent dis

Manc Skipper said:
Heathcare workers have a duty of care toward their patients which includes not exposing them to unnecessary risk. Likewise it the hospital's duty as an employer to minimise risk to the nurse by providing protection from easily transmissible infections, from standardised procedures, to protective clothing to immunisation.
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Hospitals are rampant with MRSA. The flu is the least of their worries.
 
Re: Should health care workers be required to receive injections meant to prevent dis

Yes, I was forced to get the influenza vaccine. The thing with those who work in healthcare is that we are interacting with patients and should not be a potential spreader of disease. There is an ethical obligation to not make yourself a risk factor to your patients.
 
Re: Should health care workers be required to receive injections meant to prevent dis

Fisher said:
I think they should be encouraged to get the shots, but not required as for flu. Things like Hepatitis I am a little more conflicted about. I wouldn't want Typhoid Mary walking around an ICU unit where the patients are already at high risk for new infections.
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I voted 'no', but you make good points.
 
Re: Should health care workers be required to receive injections meant to prevent dis

Somerville said:
Should health care workers be required to receive injections meant to prevent disease?

Story behind the question
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Health care workers, absolutely.
I have no problem with them being fired, for refusing vaccination.

That makes them an even greater public health hazard.
 
Re: Should health care workers be required to receive injections meant to prevent dis

Your Star said:
I don't want to be forced to get a flu shot.
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Unless you have some kind of allergy to vaccinations, I view not getting vaccinated, as assaulting the public with your negligence.
I have a kook sister that doesn't get her kids any vaccinations, they are a danger to public health.
 
Re: Should health care workers be required to receive injections meant to prevent dis

Harry Guerrilla said:
Unless you have some kind of allergy to vaccinations, I view not getting vaccinated, as assaulting the public with your negligence.
I have a kook sister that doesn't get her kids any vaccinations, they are a danger to public health.
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I'm not against vaccines, I'm glad I was vaccinated as a kid, and will vaccinate my kids, but I'd rather not get a flu shot, never have, don't get sick that often, just no point really.
 
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