Influenza Vaccination

Influenza is an infectious illness that can be spread from one individual to the next. It can be transmitted by means of saliva, nasal secretions, feces and blood. It can also be spread by coming in contact with the virus on contaminated surfaces. Influenza is responsible for an average of 36,000 deaths and for more than 226,000 hospitalizations each year in the United States. (Davidson, 2007-2009, Davis, 2007).

Influenza results in excess of two hundred thousand hospitalizations in the United States (Tosh & Jacobson, 2010). Mortality rates for influenza related illness have risen. The purpose of this paper is to discuss mandated healthcare influenza vaccination in healthcare workers and will examine a Cochrane review summary, mandated healthcare influenza vaccination, and healthcare worker immunization practices in a Veterans Affairs Health Center.

When people see or hear advertisements, whether it be in a magazine or on television, many do not stop to consider or analyze the techniques that go into making the advertisement effective. For instance, the Center for Disease Control has a campaign that has the purpose of promoting the influenza vaccination. If you examine the campaign closely, it becomes clear that the advertising campaign targets a diverse audience of all ages, genders, and races who could all benefit from getting an influenza vaccination. In this advertisement campaign, the Center for Disease Control effectively promotes the benefits of getting an influenza vaccination to a targeted audience using numerous persuasive techniques such as association and universal appeal.

Every year, millions of people start talking about the influenza virus and getting their vaccines as the flu season approaches, which starts around the October-November period and reaches its peak between December and March. Therefore, public health officials around the world- and in the U.S in particular- are constantly challenged by properly preparing for the annual influenza dilemma, given that this viruses, and other respiratory viruses, are a serious health threat to the U.S population and the world as a whole. Furthermore, what makes the influenza virus even more challenging to control is that it can mutate rapidly and reassort to form new strains, having the ability to reside in multiple animal hosts. In fact, many scientists and researchers have been doing in-depth intensive research so as to understand the mechanism behind this unique characteristic of the virus, try to find new ways to control it, and explore different areas of protection and vaccination.

To increase patient and hcw safety, health care workers should be mandate to get vaccination. Hcw are more at risk to get infection because of their contact with patient and then to spread it to patients, specially patients who are susceptible to the infection (CITATION). Influenza symptoms appears within 1-4 days. Before even hcw workes know that they have influenza infection and they are contagious, they may spread the infection to patient . Also, if hcw are infected, it will cause impact on their mental and physical functioning. Two randomly conducted studies have supported that mandatory influenza vaccination for hcw helped in decreasing death rate upto 44% in nursing home residents (Ottenberg, 2011). Potter et. al. identified that because of increased staff vaccination mortality rate reduced from 17% to 10% (Suillivan, 2010). The other fact which can effect patient safety due to low rate of vaccination is absenteeism of hcw during influenza epidemic.

Organisms can easily be spread from patients to HCW, and then back to other patients with whom they may have contact. Vaccinations can reduce or eliminate the risk of contracting targeted diseases, and can reduce the risk of these diseases to unvaccinated persons, such as polio and smallpox, but this does not necessarily hold true for influenza. The concept of mandatory HCW influenza vaccination remains under debate as to whether HCWs are ethically obligated to be vaccinated, risking not only their employment status, but their own health and personal principles, in pursuit of “the greater good”.

Throughout the years, humanity has created vaccines, a form of preparation used as a preventive inoculation to give immunity against any specific disease. The brave souls that put their lives at risk helping the injured, infected and preventing the spread should have the best form of defense when working. One simple and inexpensive defense would be to utilize the vaccinations that are created. The influenza vaccination should be mandatory for all healthcare workers who continue in their line of work.

A 65 year old female with diabetes and asthma presented with subjective chills, lethargy, arthralgias, and myalgias lasting over 2 days. She mentioned having received the inactivated influenza vaccine 5 days back. Vital signs were stable apart from sinus tachycardia (HR 143/min). Labs, including CBC and BMP, were within normal limits except for baseline normocytic anemia (Hb 10.7 g/dl). Serum calcium was 10.8 mg/dl. She was observed for a day, and was discharged home with supportive treatment. She presented a day later with persistent flu like symptoms. Labs were significant for a serum calcium being above 22 mg/dl, normal renal function, normal total protein, albumin, ACE levels, clear urine with no albuminuria, low

Influenza is a virus that is spread through airborne droplets, which are present when coughing, sneezing, and even talking (Adams, 2017). The awesome thing about influenza (i.e. the flu) is that it is fairly easy to prevent. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) lists seven ways you can use to protect yourself from the flu. The number one and most important is to get your yearly flu vaccination. Also, prevention includes avoiding close contact with those who are sick; staying home when you are sick; covering your mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing; cleaning your hands with warm water and soap; avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth; and last but not least, practicing generally good health habits (CDC.gov, 2015). Adequate sleep,

Many HCWs continue to decline the vaccine because they have different opinions, beliefs and are very skeptical about getting the flu vaccine. Sadly, those HCWs who refuse the vaccine put themselves and others at risk of contracting the virus. Unfortunately, the current strategy is not enough to convince HCWs about the benefits of taking the vaccine. Right now, not many healthcare facilities are making the flu vaccine mandatory; therefore, team members don’t see the necessity to get it. The current policy gives HCWs a choice to either get the vaccine or sign a declination form, and those who do not get it, agree to wear a mask when caring for their patients. The problem with that technique is many team members are violating the real reason to sign the declination form. Declination form should only use for team members with medical or religious reasons. Also, team members that do agree to wear the mask are not compliant. Some of them are wearing on their forehead or below their mouth, which would not protect them or their

Children rely on the decisions that are made by responsible individuals in their lives including parents, caretakers, and other authorities such as teachers. Because children depend on others so heavily, health issues that affect children such as contracting the influenza virus or the flu should be discussed with the adults in their lives. Every year a new strain of the influenza virus affects the health of school-aged children causing a potential health risk to themselves and others around them. The spread of the influenza virus in

Many elderlies are not being vaccinated against the influenza virus leaving them unprotected from this disease. The current practice is to treat patients for acute or chronic conditions and prevention is being forgotten. Patient charts and immunization records need to be reviewed by all healthcare providers to identify patients that have received or need to receive the influenza vaccine. Patients that have not received the vaccine will be given information about the vaccine and the option to receive it. This approach will help increase knowledge and participation among the elderly population reducing the risk of getting the flu.

Illnesses have long haunted the human race. As long as these illnesses have existed, humans have developed ways to cure themselves, beginning with simple herbs and proceeding as far as vaccines and complex medicines. One cure that long eluded scientists was that of the influenza virus. Now, the influenza vaccine, or flu shot, saves thousands of lives a year and helps prevent serious complications resulting from influenza infection.

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines epidemiology as, “the study of the distribution and determinants of health-related states or events (including diseases), and the application of this study to the control of disease and other health problems” (Epidemiology, 2015). There are different types of methods that can be used for epidemiological investigations which include: surveillance and descriptive studies, as well as analytical studies (Epidemiology, 2015). Influenza is a viral respiratory illness that is highly contagious (Influenza (Flu), 2015). Since it is so contagious it can cause a pandemic, epidemic, or outbreak causing sporadic cases (Mestrovic, 2014). There are two major types of influenza viruses type A and type B (Mestrovic,

I would treat the new strain just as the CDC already handles the flu virus. The Flu vaccine is given every year to provide protection from flu viruses. Flu viruses constantly change but with information sciences and technology, the CDC helps to provide prevention and control. Every year the CDC evaluates public data that contains which flu viruses are making people sick, the extent to which those viruses are spreading, and how well the previous year’s vaccine provided protection (CDC, 2012). The CDC (2012) states, “Public health surveillance is essential to the practice of public health and to guide prevention and control activities and evaluate outcomes of such activities” (p. 10). The CDC works closely with the state and local health departments