Stupid medical stuff

Ok, so my doctor is really not in favor of unnecessary vaccines. In fact, she does not want me to get any vaccines that are not required. The way she feels about it, I think one of her patients must have died of Guillan-Barre or something. She doesn't even want me to get a meningitis vaccine, because I'm not in the military and I don't live in a college dorm. That is a vaccine that is required for school kids since 2005, and I have never had it.

Anyway, she is in favor of the flu shot for everybody, particularly me because I work with vulnerable adults. Exactly one flu shot per year. I started getting flu shots two years ago, and so far I've had two. I had my flu shot for this season in October 2012.

I start nursing school next week. The flu shot that I got in October is required for completing the paperwork I need to attend school. Paperwork for spring semester was due the second week of December. In order to pass the paperwork check before each semester, you must have a record of receiving a flu shot within twelve months of the last day of the semester. So, the spring semester ends in May 2013, so my flu shot for my spring semester paperwork must be dated at the earliest May 2012. Makes sense so far.

For second semester, Fall 2013, paperwork will be checked either at the end of July or beginning of August, before school starts. All paperwork must be complete in order to continue in school. Once again, a flu shot is required. Since fall semester ends in December 2013, we must have a record of receiving a flu shot dated at the earliest, December 2012, I am not exactly certain which exact date is the cut-off, but since classes are scheduled to end Dec. 20, 2013, and that is the end of final exam week, probably the Friday before that, Dec. 13, is the cut-off date - that would probably be the last day of clinicals for fall semester.

The problem is quite obvious. The flu shot is generally available in September each year, and generally not available after February or March. Paperwork for fall semester is due by the beginning of August each year. That means in order to continue in school, a second flu shot must be obtained before the shots stop being offered for the season. I explained this to my doctor at my appointment yesterday, and now she thinks I'm a psych case. The medical assistant told me to wait until September for my next flu shot, and I told her I won't be able to attend school in that case. She said to talk to the people at my school about it. I said that during orientation, we were told this is the way it is, and we will need to get two flu shots each season in order to enroll in school. After much arguing and waiting in the exam room while my doctor discussed it with her staff, finally the medical assistant came back and said I could have it if that's what I wanted. Well, it's not what I want, it's just that the alternative is dropping out of school. Anyway, obviously they didn't want to give me a second flu shot. They told me my insurance won't cover two flu shots in one season, and I'll have to pay for it. Then they quoted me a price more than twice as much as the going rate for flu shots. In the end, they were successful in getting me out of the office without having to give me my medically unnecessary second flu shot, and now I am shopping around for the cheapest flu shot - so far Safeway is the lowest price I've found.

So, anyone have any opinions? Should I tell my school I won't be getting unnecessary vaccines just to fulfill stupid bureaucratic requirements and look for a school with sane policies? (I don't actually know if there are any schools with sane policies. I've also heard of another school that requires two negative PPD skin tests within a month.) Should I tell any medical provider that I seek the flu shot from that I've already had it? Wouldn't that be fair? They might have just as much of an ethical problem with giving it to me as my doctor does.

Just called Pima County Health Dept - they are giving flu shots to adults for free. I suppose if I want to get it for free, I better not say anything about having had it already this season.

kiti wrote:Just called Pima County Health Dept - they are giving flu shots to adults for free. I suppose if I want to get it for free, I better not say anything about having had it already this season.

Good idea ... i wrote a long response but it seems to have disappeared ... the main point was anyway that it's good to see you have migrated over to the new forum.

BillC wrote:

kiti wrote:Just called Pima County Health Dept - they are giving flu shots to adults for free. I suppose if I want to get it for free, I better not say anything about having had it already this season.

Good idea ... i wrote a long response but it seems to have disappeared ... the main point was anyway that it's good to see you have migrated over to the new forum.

Thanks! At least someone enjoys reading my silly rants!

I'm going to wait a week or two to get my repeat flu shot. Next week we have advising. Maybe by some miracle the school will have made their insane policies sane by then, and we will be required to only get the flu shot each September. Just can't wait until there's no more flu vaccine being offered, or it's time to drop out of school!

I have been Lecturing/Tutoring/Clinical Teaching etc in Nursing at an Australian Uni since 2006 and I can report we don't have anything like the problems you describe.
If you can work around this inflexible nonsense it will prove you have the right skills to make an awesome nurse

Judo Dad wrote:I have been Lecturing/Tutoring/Clinical Teaching etc in Nursing at an Australian Uni since 2006 and I can report we don't have anything like the problems you describe.
If you can work around this inflexible nonsense it will prove you have the right skills to make an awesome nurse

Are you sure? Do you know exactly what paperwork the students are required to submit, and on what dates of the year? Do you have students sent to your hospital from various educational institutions for their clinical rotations?

According to what we were told during orientation, the flu vaccine requirement is known by the staff at the college to be ridiculous. We were told that it is due to the requirements of one or more of the healthcare institutions we may be sent to for clinicals (our educational facility does not have any of its own healthcare institutions, we are all bundled into groups of ten and sent off to various locations throughout our city, which has numerous hospitals and a vast number of nursing homes, rehab, and the like). We were told that the institutions will not accept students from our college for clinicals unless they have the flu shot dated within twelve months of the end of the semester, and our paperwork must be turned in on a specific date before the semester starts in order for us to be placed into our classes and clinicals.

BillC wrote:

kiti wrote:Just called Pima County Health Dept - they are giving flu shots to adults for free. I suppose if I want to get it for free, I better not say anything about having had it already this season.

Good idea ... i wrote a long response but it seems to have disappeared ... the main point was anyway that it's good to see you have migrated over to the new forum.

Hiya Bill,

I hope all is well with you and yours?

Any idea what's happened to Stacey? I understand Stacey is from your state?

Kind regards,

Mike

kiti wrote:

Judo Dad wrote:I have been Lecturing/Tutoring/Clinical Teaching etc in Nursing at an Australian Uni since 2006 and I can report we don't have anything like the problems you describe.
If you can work around this inflexible nonsense it will prove you have the right skills to make an awesome nurse

Are you sure? Do you know exactly what paperwork the students are required to submit, and on what dates of the year? Do you have students sent to your hospital from various educational institutions for their clinical rotations?

According to what we were told during orientation, the flu vaccine requirement is known by the staff at the college to be ridiculous. We were told that it is due to the requirements of one or more of the healthcare institutions we may be sent to for clinicals (our educational facility does not have any of its own healthcare institutions, we are all bundled into groups of ten and sent off to various locations throughout our city, which has numerous hospitals and a vast number of nursing homes, rehab, and the like). We were told that the institutions will not accept students from our college for clinicals unless they have the flu shot dated within twelve months of the end of the semester, and our paperwork must be turned in on a specific date before the semester starts in order for us to be placed into our classes and clinicals.

I am aware of the paperwork required by the students. They have clinical placements in acute medical, acute surgical, sub-acute, aged care, rehab, psychiatric, paediatric, etc, etc. These placements span a variety of public and private health care organisations.

The students get their shots, fill in the paperwork and go on placement. As long as their vaccinations are up--to-date everyone concerned is happy. The students seem to be more bothered with the paperwork for their criminal records check. One student had been a victim of identity theft and had criminal convictions recorded against their name which were false and took a major effort to have removed. Another requirement set by a particular Health care network is for students to complete an online hand hygiene package before commencing placement. I am sorry to hear of your problem. Sounds like things are a bit more difficult where you are. Hope you can persevere and overcome this obstacle

Hanon wrote:

BillC wrote:

kiti wrote:Just called Pima County Health Dept - they are giving flu shots to adults for free. I suppose if I want to get it for free, I better not say anything about having had it already this season.

Good idea ... i wrote a long response but it seems to have disappeared ... the main point was anyway that it's good to see you have migrated over to the new forum.

Hiya Bill,

I hope all is well with you and yours?

Any idea what's happened to Stacey? I understand Stacey is from your state?

Kind regards,

Mike

Hey Hanon! Good to see you here, thanks for posting on my thread! How are you doing?

I have advising on Tuesday this week, maybe I can get more info about flu shot requirements. I have my first class on Thursday!!!!! Excited!!!! I'm finally starting nursing school in January of 2013, after deciding in November of 2009 that I was going to go for it! It took this long to do my prerequisites and get through the two-year waiting list!

Well, I emailed a question about whether we really have to get a second flu shot this season to the person in charge of telling us what to do, and she said:

I am looking into this issue and talking with the various clinical facilities to see what solutions we can come up with. I will post an announcement next week in regards to what needs to be done with the flu shot. At this point, I would not stress about it. Have a great semester!

So maybe, just maybe the policies will be changed to be sensible!

Each state regulates these things differently. Being a total needle phobe, I opted for chest x-rays instead of a PPD in one state only to find out that by state statute, I had to have a PPD in another state (99% of TB cases in the US are tied to prisons and "other" institutions, but mainly prisons, so some states have regulated TB testing for all those who work in prisons or with prisoners). I found myself in the unenviable position of having a clear chest x-ray and STILL having to get a PPD.

I got the MMR series as a kid. In college, there was an outbreak of measles, and they discovered that a significant percentage of those of us who has the MMR series between certain years were no longer carrying significant enough titers to resist measles, so the school mandated additional MMR shots. I refused (I really hate needles), so the State came along and passed a bill, and suddenly I HAD to get an MMR booster. After much teeth nashing, passing out, tears, and a general panic attack in line for the "free" MMR booster, I got the shot (like I said, I'm a total needle phobe). Three years later, I woke up because my husband was pushing me away from him, telling me I was "too hot" (what?!?!?). The next morning, I was covered in spots and went to my local clinic. I was diagnosed with measles.

Don't ask me about flu shots. I don't get them. The only shots I get are the ones I have to, and only after they find the biggest, meanest, most technically proficient SOB to sit on me, ignoring my ranting tears. Even then, after having suffered through the measles, a partial case of the mumps, and other things I've supposedly been vaccinated against, I'm not sure vaccines are worth it. I have been vaccinated against polio, and I'm glad I am after all, 2 of my uncles were debilitated by polio, and with my luck......

Stacey wrote:
Don't ask me about flu shots. I don't get them ... and with my luck......

How is that for editorial distortion? Just a couple notes ...

1. I was born in the age of penicillin ... as in a thick, white suspension drawn into glass syringes and subsequently jammed into tiny arms through a needle the diameter of your average knitting needle ... needles the doctor himself sharpened ... no joke on that last one. So your needle phobia might pale in comparison except that I subjected myself to a couple of years of allergy therapy ... twice a week with nice little, tiny needles ... the last year of therapy self-inflicted. Still don't like to have blood drawn ... but a flu shot ... love 'em now especially from the blonde pharmacist on the corner.

2, There is a nasal vaccine for flu ... seemed to work for me when that was all that was available a few years back during the last big outbreak. I travel to and from Asia on airplanes ... you visit prisons ... we are both high risk and getting to the age where flu is more than an inconvenience.

Let me fix this for you, so that I can read it without breaking into a sweat with a heart rate over 200 bpm

BillC wrote:



1. I was born in the age of penicillin ... as in a thick, white suspension drawn into glass syringes and subsequently jammed into tiny arms through a needle the diameter of your average knitting needle ... needles the doctor himself sharpened ... no joke on that last one. So your needle phobia might pale in comparison except that I subjected myself to a couple of years of allergy therapy ... twice a week with nice little, tiny needles ... the last year of therapy self-inflicted. blah-blah-blah-blah, I can't hear you Still don't like to have blood drawn ... but a flu shot ... love 'em now especially from the blonde pharmacist on the corner.

2, There is a nasal vaccine for flu ... seemed to work for me when that was all that was available a few years back during the last big outbreak. I travel to and from Asia on airplanes ... you visit prisons ... we are both high risk and getting to the age where flu is more than an inconvenience. blah-blah-blah-blah, I can't hear you

there. that makes sense to me.

Bill C, I too remember glass tubed needles that were SUPPOSED to be sharpened. For some reason, I was never lucky enough to get the sharp one. Penicillin and Polio shots were given by a nurse who was notoriously LOUSY at giving shots. We always got them in the backside. It made walking painful, sleep nearly impossible and sitting in school for hours on end miserable. Growing up in the house of two heavy smokers made childhood a misery of upper respiratory illnesses. I was also born and raised before most of the vaccines of today were not available, so I got the Measles, Mumps, Chicken Pox, Rubella, Whooping Cough and several other childhood illnesses. Usually on a holiday. (Christmas was spend in a darkened room with Measles.) Multiple trips to the Dr. every winter and every visit resulting in at least one painful shot made me avoid the medical profession like the plague. (Sometimes the evil nurse hit both cheeks.) I do not get flu shots either. I manage to get the flu before that year's shots are released so I don't see the point. I am lucky to have a pretty strong immune system because as an adult who no longer lives in a smoker's palace, I do not get sick very often. I am thankful for that!!!

Well, I have to get the flu shot again, and everyone in my class does because the first one had to be done by Dec. 14 for our clinical eligibility for this semester.

-----------------------------------

As you know, the hospitals and agencies that the college works with are now requiring an annual influenza (flu) vaccination for all students enrolled or entering the nursing program. If you received the influenza (flu) vaccination prior to December 20, 2012, you will need to get another vaccination to meet clinical eligibility requirements for the Fall semester. THIS MEANS THAT YOU NEED TO GET THIS VACCINATION IMMEDIATELY. This vaccination is only offered during certain months. You must have documentation of receiving this vaccination after December 20, 2012 for clinical eligibility check-offs for the fall semester.

Unfortunately, if you do not have documentation of an influenza (flu) vaccination that is good through the end of the semester (December 20, 2013) by clinical eligibility in August, you will not be allowed to progress in the program. You will have to sit out a semester. The hospitals and agencies that we work with are strictly enforcing these requirements.