Do I vaccinate myself? (healthcare worker)

[kittykat2481]

I'm at a loss as to what to do. I'm a nursing student, currently working in multiple hospitals and directly involved in patient care. (Yes, a natural minded nurse! Don't tell my instructors!) It is recommended that I receive the seasonal flu vaccine, as well as H1N1 and hep B.

With my son, the choice has been easy. We were steamrolled into vaccinating him as a young infant, albeit delayed and spread out, until he had what the doctor described as a "mild" injection site reaction to one vaccine. To my husband and I (and to the websites of Children's hospitals around the country) it wasn't mild. At that point DH and I made the decision that we would push the pause button on vaccines, indefinitely. We have no plans of giving any vaxes, let alone flu, and least of all what we feel to be an experimental H1N1 vaccine.

The question just isn't as easy for ME though. I planned to skip the flu shot, and will skip the H1N1 too, but how do I decide whether or not to get the hep B vaccine?

[Marnica]

I think you have to look at your personal risk/benefit analysis.

If you are a nurse and are involved with direct patient care that puts you in contact with blood and/or you give injections and are at risk of accidental punctures from infected needles, you may want to get this series.

I had this series in the late 90's because it was recommended as I work in "healthcare" . I work in mental health. I do not come in contact with blood or needles so If I had known then what i know now I NEVER would have gotten this vaccine. It has cause me IMO a grteat deal of health problems. I can't prove they were as a result of the vaccine, but the timing is suspicious.

[just_lily]

I wouldn't even think twice about flu and H1N1 and would skip both without a worry.

Personally I would probably also do without Hep B unless I had a really compelling reason TO do it. Who are your patients and what do you do with them?

ETA: (Sorry, kid was yelling) In my research I have always felt that the risk of reaction to the Hep B series was rather high, and severe in many cases. For you to get Hep B from a patient you would first have to have a needle stick, AND the patient would have to have Hep B, AND the stick had to have been enough to cause transmission. Depending on what you are specifically doing, the risk of that happening may be significantly less than the risk of having a reaction to the Hep series.

[LisaSedai]

I got the HB series in 1988. Few years later I had an antibody check and was negative. I took the booster. My antibodies are still negative.
:::

The wonderful people who own the hospital I work at have told us if we don't get the reg flu shot *and* the H1N1 shot we will have to wear a mask for our whole shift from Oct to March.

Good luck

[just_lily]

Originally Posted by LisaSedai

The wonderful people who own the hospital I work at have told us if we don't get the reg flu shot *and* the H1N1 shot we will have to wear a mask for our whole shift from Oct to March.

Are they going to brand a scarlet letter on you too?? That is so ridiculous it is almost funny.

Are you going to get vaxed then?

[LisaSedai]

I just don't know I think I may break down and take the regular flu vaccine after scratching out the part of the consent form that says I am voluntarily taking it and won't sue the crap out of the hospital if I get an adverse reaction. The stuff I've read about the adjunct(?) oil they are likely putting in the swine flu vax coupled with next to no safety trial *really* scares me though.

I don't know about the scarlet letter but I'm thinking about wearing a button with "Just say "No" to vaccinations" to work for all the patients who are going to be asking why I am wearing a mask.

[SundayCrepes]

I was starting an IV on an AIDS patient once and got blood splashed in my eye. Can you say FREAKED OUT. Then 6 weeks later I had every symptom of AIDS. Turns out I had cat scratch fever, but I have never been so scared in my life.

I got the hepatitis vaccine in the mid 80s. It was still made out of human blood. Then they started noticing a relationship between hepatitis and that new gay disease in NYC and SF. Fortunately, I did not get AIDS from that vaccine (or the blood splash) and every time I've had my hepatitis levels checked, I am fine.

Although there are needleless systems out there now, there is ALWAYS the risk of a needle stick from an IV, IM, subq, port, etc. If you could be at risk, it is probably worth getting. We adopted a baby with no prenatal care. I think it was appropriate she got the first hep B vaccine at birth and the HBIG at 24 hours. However, once we got back the mom's bloodwork she has gotten no more vaccines.

Vaccines can cause harm, but they can also do good. I think IF there is a risk, then they should be considered. If there's no risk, then they're not work risking.

[spedteacher30]

it is not just *you* that you are conceivably protecting by getting vaccinated.
the thought is that patients in the hospital who cannot get a flu shot won't get H1N1 from their providers if the providers are vaccinated. There are patients who are much more likely to die from flu than you are, and the vaccination you receive is partially to provide your patients with the best, safest care they can receive.

[babygrant]

I ended up getting the hepatitis B, but I skip the flu shot. If there's a breakout, I'm not allowed to work, but that's ok. I just take unpaid time off and call it a day. They bug and bug and bug but I'm not getting it.

[Eggsbenedict]

Originally Posted by LisaSedai

The wonderful people who own the hospital I work at have told us if we don't get the reg flu shot *and* the H1N1 shot we will have to wear a mask for our whole shift from Oct to March.

Good luck

This sounds like a good idea to me--it would also protect you better from getting the flu from other people. If it were a choice between getting the flu shot or wearing a mask for my whole workday for 6 months, I'd choose the mask without hesitation!

[LisaSedai]

it is not just *you* that you are conceivably protecting by getting vaccinated.
the thought is that patients in the hospital who cannot get a flu shot won't get H1N1 from their providers if the providers are vaccinated. There are patients who are much more likely to die from flu than you are, and the vaccination you receive is partially to provide your patients with the best, safest care they can receive.

Yes, that is part of the explaination they use and I can see their point of view. I even got the TDaP b/c they made a big deal about pertussis coming back. But being a guinea pig for something that is supposed to be mild in most cases?

I don't have much confidence in the (reg)flu vaccine. Some years, it is a total miss. Last year's was only partially effective (33%)- only good against one of the 3 it was supposed to prevent. If I got the flumist vaccine, I could be infectious and pass it on to immunosuppressed people for 3 weeks, but at least I would be one of the good girls who took her vaccine. If we agree to take the vaccine we have to sign a consent saying we took it by our own will and we won't hold the hospital responsible for adverse reactions. If they think it is so great and wonderful then they should also be prepared to help in case it messes you up.

I believe a good way to protect our patients is to stay home from work if someone we live with is sick, or of course if we feel ill ourselves. Work doesn't like this though b/c they would have to pay our sick time and someone else's overtime.

The H1N1 is an experimental vax that has not had safety trials done enough to tell how potentially harmfull or effective it is. The last swine flu vaccine they tried was resposible for deaths and GB cases - was worse than the flu actually. They say older folks are less susceptible to the swine flu this time b/c they were exposed to it when they were younger.

Our patients are asked and offered the flu and pneumonia vaccine on admission and if they want it they get it. I do not work with a population of patients too young or too sick to get the vaccine.

MyBabysmama - whew. Glad you are alright. Needless systems are great, but gad it was hard to get used to those protective iv jelcos.