Mandatory Influenza Vaccinations for healthcare providers can be a controversial topic for some and may propose a challenge to some provider’s ethical values and beliefs. The topic of mandatory vaccination for influenza (“flu”) has been widely studied and debated among professionals over several years. It is apparent that there is some movement towards a mandatory vaccination for influenza by healthcare institutions as the benefit out weighs the risk on several fronts. “Influenza infection is associated with 36,000 excess deaths and > 200,000 hospitalizations in the United States annually. It is the leading cause of vaccine-preventable death in the United States every year” (Babcock, Geminhart, Jones, Dunagan, & Woeltje, 2010, p. 459). …show more content…
Many instances have been noted that healthcare providers are bringing the infection to the patients and not the patients bring the infection to the staff. Furthermore, It is well documented that nosocomial infection occurs (Rice, 2010) and hospitalized individuals face more complications and greater mortality from influenza. Healthcare providers are indirectly causing undo harm to patients that are more susceptible to infections such as influenza. “In nursing home settings, vaccination of healthcare workers has been shown to decrease morbidity and mortality among nursing home residents” (Babcock, et al., 2010, p. 459). One study suggests that there is a higher rate of occurrence of influenza among healthcare providers than residents. “In elder-care settings, influenza among staff precedes illness among residents, suggesting that health care workers introduce the virus into the setting” (Anikeeva, Braunack-Mayer, & Rogers, 2009, p. 25). Healthcare providers have a moral and ethical obligation not to do harm to patients. Mandatory vaccination could prevent harm from being done to patients by preventing the spread in influenza. “Nursing is the protection, promotion, and optimization of health and abilities,
Vaccination was first introduced globally for small pox and later on extended to other communicable diseases which are now known as vaccine preventable disease. Vaccination is beneficial both for individuals and community. This bring us to the ethical dilemma - Vaccination of a healthy child with the intention of protecting both the individual child and the community at the same time exposing the child to the theoretical risk of exposure to disease products whether live, attenuated or killed. There was a time when people never questioned the government or their physicians. Now because of more public awareness and accessibility to medical information, they are questioning the safety aspects of vaccines.
What are standard precautions? How do they impact the nursing profession? These are all valid questions that need further investigation. Set forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), standard precautions are a set of practices that help guide nurses to prevent and control infectious diseases from spreading (Efstathiou, Papastavrou, Raftopoulos, & Merkouris, 2011, p. 1). There is no question that nurses are at a particularly higher risk of occupational exposure. Koutoukidis, Stainton, and Hughson (2016) explain that regardless of the patient’s diagnosis, presumed infectious status, and the setting in which the patient is in, nurses should always implement standard precautions (p. 483). The high stake profession leaves nurses
In conclusion, healthcare workers should have to receive a mandatory influenza vaccine to ensure a safe environment for patients to be treated. The worker’s rights are not violated
With influenza vaccination rates remaining low in the HCP population, there has recently been an increased emphasis on improving vaccination rates among HCPs. Low influenza vaccination rates have caused many healthcare facilities to initiate and mandate employees to receive the influenza vaccine. Research has proven to reduce morbidity and mortality among patients in healthcare facilities as well as decrease illness and absenteeism among HCPs (Sickbert & Weber, 2013). For these reasons multiple professional organizations are recommending an annual influenza vaccine for all HCPs, if medically suitable for this vaccination. Requiring a physician waiver for non-suitable HCP, all non-suitable HCP are expected or required to wear a mask in direct patient care areas.
The problem can be better quantified by gaining understanding of the importance of receiving the flu vaccination. The manager of any health care facility should ensure that staff and patients, specifically those with a higher risk of contracting the flu, receives the yearly influenza vaccination. Health care staff that does not comply with yearly influenza vaccinations should be transferred to a unit with limited patient contact. High-risk patients who are not compliant with receiving the vaccine are to receive further education of the deadly effects associated with developing the influenza virus. In all patients it is imperative to provide proper patient
Information presented should address health care workers issues concerning vaccine safety and effectiveness. Supporting statistical data should validate the decision. There should be widespread discussions about the reasons for the policy. Allowances should be made for those nurses who have a legitimate reason for not taking it. Legitimate reasons could include but not limited to medical and religious reasons. To prevent the possibility of causing Guillain-Barre syndrome only egg free vaccine should be used. Another option would be to establish that a worker is not allergic to egg before receiving the flu vaccine. Review of the policy for effectiveness in preventing the flu and the impact on health care workers should be carried after a specified time
The anti-vaccination sentiment exists worldwide, with activists arguing that vaccines are ineffective with a high risk of side effects, encouraging people to forgo immunization, including the influenza inoculation. Conversely, I wonder if these same activists would promote anti-immunization and anti-influenza inoculation to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for health care providers and medical personnel, especially countries with high infectious disease rates and high risk assessment of influenza with pandemic potential. Moreover, would these activists be willing to promote these individuals rights to perform their specialties in the United States without proper vaccinations? The answer to the question is not by any means. Nevertheless, a person deciding whether to be
Most, if not all of us, possess a pink trifold card documenting when our last HEP-B series or MMR vaccinations were administered. These vaccinations help prevent contracting deadly viruses and diseases. However, less and less people these days are toting these pink cards. Every year more families are jumping onto the anti-vaccination bandwagon. They argue that the vaccinations are not effective or that they are linked to other problems such as Autism. Although there is no scientific research that proves this, families still choose to skip out on routine vaccinations, harming the wellbeing of their children and the rest of the world around them. Vaccinations should be mandatory for every member in the United States, unless they
Vaccinations are substances that give patients who acquire it immunity to certain diseases such as Hepatitis, Small poxes and influenza, also known as the flu. Before it was alleged that patient are protected when they are in use of the vaccination. Many Healthcare workers nevertheless, refuse to take the vaccine due to their beliefs that vaccines aren’t necessary .this continues to be a serious problem as many workers often refuse to get vaccinated and have even lose or quit their jobs because of their refusal to take the vaccine. Now this brings us to the question, should healthcare workers be mandated to take vaccinations?
I agreed , Vaccination as a preventive measure should be offered to everyone at not cost. Unfortunately, a citizen in order to have access to a health care service must have any kind of insurance that will cover essential benefits. Under the new healthcare law preventive medicine play a significant role so individual who acquired a plan are able to get vaccinations, screening test, and counseling, without paying a copay, coinsurance or a deductible, however not everyone will qualify for a health care plan and many citizens do not have access to the service. The Affordable Care Act is projecting to have more enrollment this year approximately 1.1 million more so 9 million of them will be old customers , 1 million of new customers that
Smallpox and measles and mumps, oh my. These diseases we thought we had terminated when vaccines were invented are making a comeback due to parents not vaccinating their young children. Vaccination started as early as the 1800s with smallpox, and as the disease began to decline, the government’s vaccination policies declined as well. As that series of events occurred, parents have decided vaccinating their children is not necessary, leading to the deadly return of these diseases. The government mandating childhood vaccinations is vital to the Nation’s well-being to ensure proper health and safety from diseases such as smallpox, influenza, and human papilloma virus.
Every year, for the last 14 years of my nursing career I have dealt with the same controversial nursing issue. It happens once a year around this season, and the debate never seems to improve. All this fuss comes from the dreaded influenza vaccine and whether it should be mandatory. The phenomenal invention of this vaccine has led to many misconceptions, imperfect theories, and rumored abominable side effects.
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this narrative review is to discuss what influenza is? And what the ethical and morality of flu vaccinations. This discussion is grounded whether or not flu vaccinations are necessary for individuals.
Vaccines have always been a controversial topic, to whether they are required all the way down to what they are composed of. It has been an ongoing battle since the 1970s and continues to make headlines even in this year of 2015 with the measles outbreak from Disneyland. Even now, many still believe that vaccinations can cause autism and choose not to vaccinate their children for that reason or another. Vaccinations are critical and need to be required for children before entering public schools.
To the average individual, the word ‘vaccination’ means to prevent illness. Vaccinations have many advantages; they allow us to be less susceptible to a variety of illnesses and diseases. Many individuals believe that vaccinations should not be mandatory. However, the benefits from vaccinations greatly outweigh the risks from side effects. The judgments are factual and ethical and are supported by testing and research findings from multiple sources.