What are your thoughts about mandatory flu shots for hospital workers?

It's that time of the year again--hysteria about the flu. What are your thoughts about mandatory flu shots for hospital workers? DH's employer is requiring a flu shot for the second year in a row. I personally think this is absolutely ridiculous, and plenty of DH's doctor colleagues are extremely peeved. What are your thoughts about this? Personally I have never had a flu shot and never will.

I don't know about this specific issue, but when it comes to vaccinations in general, I think the best way to deal with it is to educate like crazy (ETA - goes for both sides of the argument) and let people make their own decisions.

With hospital employees, you have patients to consider, so that seems to be a different matter.

[DCJenn]

For the general population it's probably less of a deal but for hospital and other healthcare workers, they need to be safe. I say this as one of our clients died last year from Swine Flu (22 and pregnant.)

We had all had our own regular flu and swine flu shots. I don't want to make one of my clients sick and I REALLY don't want them to get me sick. Vaccines all the way in this house.

Jenn

[Phoebe]

DH work with a high-risk patient population so it is mandatory. Last year he still got the flu and couldn't return to work for 7 days after the flu had subsided and he was cleared by Associate Health. We all get the shots.

[diggitydot]

I like the way you put it, Cassy.

[Deebs]

I heard a physician speak last year to this, and he put it very well. There are many sacrifices that providers make for the privilege of taking care of people in their most desperate moments. This is one of those risks/sacrifices that is necessary to protect those people. I always got one when I worked in the hospital, but I also got one when any of my kiddos was in infancy - basically for the same reason.

[scarlett09]

It's not about me, it's not about your DH. It's about our patients.

This.

DH will get his shot on Thursday and I will get mine in the next week. I am getting one because, even though DH rarely gets sick, I think the germs from the hospital hitch a ride on him and he brings them home. And this year I am working with college students (although its only 10 hrs/wk) and they are definitely a high risk population.

I guess what makes me wary of the flu shot is a) the strains in each year's shot are just an educated guess, so that seems like a lot of risk for uncertain benefit, and b) many people who get the shot still get the flu, like DH did last year. DH got the swine flu shot, I did not, and guess who got the swine flu? DH. I took care of him, made sure to use good hand-washing and distancing procedures, and did not get swine flu. Those are two of the reasons I think that mandatory flu shots for hospital employees is ridiculous. Sure, make it "recommended." But not mandatory.

We can talk about how it's ethically right to put one's patients' health ahead of one's own when thinking about getting the flu shot but I think it's clear how hospital employees feel about flu shots in general from years in the past when they were simply "highly recommended." Barely anyone got them--they clearly were putting their own interests ahead of their patients, because they were wary of the shots. Now that they're "mandatory" under threat of firing, people are grumblinly getting them under duress. Many of DH's doctor colleagues were up in arms about this last year, and held out to the last possible day that they made it mandatory, in order to protest. But now with these new mandatory flu shot policies, many of these hospital employees' motives aren't to protect the patients--their motives of getting them are so they don't get fired.

Plus, in the past, these flu shots weren't mandatory. How large of a problem was it of hospital employees infecting patients with the flu? What about visitors to the hospital infecting high-risk patients with the flu? Why aren't visitors required to get flu shots before entering the hospital to visit their loved ones? They can just as easily infect high-risk patients with the flu as can a hospital employee with the flu.

[medpedspouse]

When you are around immunosuppressed patients, you do not take risks. We and the staff get 'em every year.

How long after he got the shot did he get sick?

I'd say about two months after.

Lots of people are outraged about the flu shot being mandatory. Last year during the swine flu pandemic healthcare workers in New York sued over the flu shot becoming mandatory. Lots of health care workers are wary of the flu shot.

My understanding is that you can still get H1N1 if you have the vaccine, but the symptoms usually will not be as severe. I'm not sure exactly how they figure that, though. (Maybe hospitalizations/deaths between those who were or weren't vaccinated?)

Plus, in the past, these flu shots weren't mandatory. How large of a problem was it of hospital employees infecting patients with the flu?

I'm curious about this, too. Anybody know if this was tracked & published?

We had a resident's husband (not in DH's specialty) die of H1N1 last year. Serious stuff.

I don't do the "mandatory." I don't get the flu shot, but I support the flu shot: I'm just not a partaker. I gave over 1000 flu and H1N1 shots last year, so I'm a supporter: especially for those with comorbidities, children, eldery, diabetics...etc. They always make me sign this paper that makes me sound evil for not getting it, but you can't guilt me into putting something into my body.

[madeintaiwan]

I don't get what the big deal is. You work in a hospital. You have to get a TB test every year and have all your other vaccinations. I had to do this when I worked with kids. When there was an outbreak of whooping cough they asked employees to take antibiotics.

I see it as part of the deal being a health care or "social" worker. My MIL is a PICU nurse manager in a children's hospital and they have very strict rules for their staff and patient visitors. They had some upset parents last year, but the safety of the patient come FIRST! You may get the flu, you may not, but if there's something out there that can decrease the chance of getting it or soften the symptoms if contracted, I think health care workers owe that to their patients.

The hospitals had the under 12 rule too.

I don't do the "mandatory." I don't get the flu shot, but I support the flu shot: I'm just not a partaker. I gave over 1000 flu and H1N1 shots last year, so I'm a supporter: especially for those with comorbidities, children, eldery, diabetics...etc. They always make me sign this paper that makes me sound evil for not getting it, but you can't guilt me into putting something into my body.

Interesting! Tell us more about your thoughts about this.

[scrub-jay]

Interesting! Tell us more about your thoughts about this.

Us?