Posted on 01/02/2013 10:00:43 AM PST by Sopater
GOSHEN, Ind. – A northern Indiana hospital has fired eight employees who refused to get flu shots under a new policy intended to protect patients from the potentially deadly illness. IU Health Goshen Hospital officials told its staff in September that flu shots would no longer be optional for staff, affiliated physicians, volunteers and vendors. Hospital spokeswoman Melanie McDonald told The Elkhart Truth for a Monday story that the new requirements came as a recommendation from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Medical Association and other major health agencies. McDonald said patients with compromised immune systems are at a heightened risk for illness and death from the flu and protecting them is the hospital's "top priority."
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
“....flu shots would no longer be optional for staff, affiliated physicians, volunteers and vendors.”
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And what about the patients and their visitors?
I think a hospital should be able to set this rule.
I have mixed opinions about public schools and vaccinations. Schools do a horrible job of making sure sick kids stay home, I get so mad at parents who send their sick kids to school because they can’t find babysitters.
My last flu shot was 1978. My next flu shot will be never. I have had the flu four time since then and I am still alive.
I think it is a good idea for health care workers to get flu shots....for their own health as well as the health of their patients....I am not sure it needs to worthy of someone losing their jobs if they refuse......
It does not surprise me that IU health does this. I had to go through an orientation class at this hospital systemm.This was the same system that told us if they found out an employee was smoking on their own time away from the hospital they would get fired. I am not a smoker but don’t tell me what I can’t do when I am not at work....
I worked in a hospital building as part of the Administration and it was required of all of us also. I have no problem with it - I couldn’t live with myself knowing I gave a sick person the flu and caused their death.
I’ve had them for years and never had a reaction or sickness from it.
My daughters almost died of a respiratory illness when they were babies. They are 16, and they both still get really sick from colds.
The only times I have forgotten to get flu shots, I’ve gotten pretty sick. I have asthma, and colds and flu just linger in my chest.
I’d rather my daughters and I get flu shots than have to go on anti-biotics and steroids.
you can fix stats all you want but the fact of the matter is that people get the flu whether they get the flu shot of not......
as it stands right now, anyone with any disease can come into the hospital as a visitor with any kind of disease....
and when you put someone in "isolation" say for MRSA, there is no legal way to prevent them from walking the halls, visiting the public bathroom or using the water fountains.....
mandated circumcisions coming next? - what would you say then?
btw, I get my flu shots every year even though I doubt it really does any good...I work in a hospital....
No silly, circumcisions are going to be illegal.
“I think it is a good idea for health care workers to get flu shots....for their own health as well as the health of their patients....I am not sure it needs to worthy of someone losing their jobs if they refuse......”
Acouple of years ago. HCA had a policy of giving workers the option to either get the flu shot OR wear a surgical mask from October through March. I think that was much more fair and it kept HCA out of court. And yes, we did have a couple of workers that stuck with the mask.
volunteers and vendors??? ..... volunteers and vendors??? wth???
And what about the patients and their visitors???
Good question.
I think the visitors would need immunized from whatever is floating around INSIDE that hospital.
As the late Dr. Robert Mendelsohn noted in his book Confessions of a Medical Heretic, “they’ve got germs in there which you can’t find anyplace else in town!”
Yes, it makes so much sense to fire them for their stance.
(On the other hand, the small-government side of me says that the employer can terminate the employee for almost any reason, so I can't whine too much, or else the Left will want to swoop in and make it illegal to fire anyone, ever.)
Captialism is the only way...too bad more don’t think like us. I had my shot...it really is not big deal. Even in the military, I not only had the flu shot every year (mandatory) but had that wonderful Anthrax shot that was mandatory too....
I’m just wondering.. do the doctors at the hospitals HAVE to get flu shots as well?
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