General Discussion

Ms. Toad

(38,742 posts)

103. I suspect from your response that you responded

Tue Dec 31, 2013, 04:29 PM

Dec 2013

without bothering reading the links to studies which have shown a statistical link between the influenza vaccine and miscarriage in women with a history of miscarriage.

It is an area of current research, in which the answer is not yet clear - but there is both statistical data and theoretical explanations which support her concern. Her doctors (who provided letters to her employer) are treating her, and likely have a lot better idea than you do about whether she is in a population which should avoid the influenza vaccine.

So yes, she is seeking a waiver for medical reasons - reasons you simply don't have enough information to evaluate, because you apparently haven't read the research and you don't know her personal medical history. Her doctors do.

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Pregnant nurse: I was fired for refusing flu vaccine [View all] The Straight Story Dec 2013 OP

At the very worst....a suspension FarPoint Dec 2013 #1

problem is flu season runs a long time, not sure where i stand on this loli phabay Dec 2013 #2

I understand the management of cross-infection. FarPoint Dec 2013 #6

This. She may have been a fantastic nurse for all we know.. Locut0s Dec 2013 #8

Her decision was based upon fear. FarPoint Dec 2013 #17

How does that work? Lost_Count Dec 2013 #10

Most facilities already have "as needed" staffing. FarPoint Dec 2013 #16

A requirement that the nurse use proper infection control is how it's handled in some places. Gormy Cuss Dec 2013 #66

Hmm.. thats a lil too drastic. darkangel218 Dec 2013 #3

I think some kind of exception should be made in extenuating circumstances. AngryOldDem Dec 2013 #4

Good Spider Jerusalem Dec 2013 #5

Too harsh but she's making a bad choice too... Locut0s Dec 2013 #7

She is a nurse. Vaccination is done to protect her patients, not just her. idwiyo Dec 2013 #9

Good. Hassin Bin Sober Dec 2013 #11

I say good too! B Calm Dec 2013 #12

Certainly she's entitled to do what she wants with herself,but she's NOT entitled to expose patients Hekate Dec 2013 #13

Appropriate Android3.14 Dec 2013 #14

OMG the OUTRAGE! demwing Dec 2013 #100

Fired too much, suspended - yes intaglio Dec 2013 #15

Good... SidDithers Dec 2013 #18

Aside from the risk of exposing her patients, it calls into question her competence. LeftyMom Dec 2013 #19

That is a bit of a stretch.... FarPoint Dec 2013 #20

She thinks a flu shot might cause her to miscarry. LeftyMom Dec 2013 #22

That was my thought, too. n/t kcr Dec 2013 #37

That was my first thought as well. Vashta Nerada Dec 2013 #75

Per CDC she made the list twice, must be a lazy news day CNN eh? snooper2 Dec 2013 #21

Justified firing. As a nurse, if she catches the flu, MineralMan Dec 2013 #23

I agree with firing gerogie2 Dec 2013 #24

Where did you hear that? arikara Dec 2013 #70

Some nice knee-jerkery going on in this thread. Ms. Toad Dec 2013 #25

Agreed. redqueen Dec 2013 #29

I was thinking the hospital was right in firing her (because it would protect patients) cinnabonbon Jan 2014 #123

Good research. That changes things entirely. stevenleser Dec 2013 #31

Thanks. n/t Ms. Toad Dec 2013 #93

I still say the hospital was right to fire her. kcr Dec 2013 #36

So you know more than her obstetrician? and her primary care doctor? Ms. Toad Dec 2013 #41

I don't have to know more than they do kcr Dec 2013 #42

You're setting up straw men and batting them down. Ms. Toad Dec 2013 #48

I don't think you know what a strawman is kcr Dec 2013 #50

Did I say they had to grant her the same exemptions? Ms. Toad Dec 2013 #59

Well, forgive me for misunderstanding then kcr Dec 2013 #61

Her doctors disagree with you Ms. Toad Dec 2013 #64

The bottom line is her employer doesn't agree with her doctor kcr Dec 2013 #65

Her employers are not privy to her specific medical condition. Ms. Toad Dec 2013 #67

No, we aren't kcr Dec 2013 #68

You know - it is really none of your business Ms. Toad Dec 2013 #84

Where does it say her doctor excused her? kcr Dec 2013 #85

You're demanding way too much detail from a short news article. Ms. Toad Dec 2013 #89

No, not really. kcr Dec 2013 #92

You are not her doctor. Ms. Toad Dec 2013 #94

No, but I can certainly read the article kcr Dec 2013 #97

Do a little research, please. Ms. Toad Dec 2013 #102

Sorry kcr Dec 2013 #108

I agree with you. If her doctors want her to skip the vaccination, OwnedByCats Dec 2013 #71

"I don't care what medically is going on." kcr Dec 2013 #77

I don't know that she talked her doctor into anything OwnedByCats Dec 2013 #113

Generally, I don't disagree with that. kcr Dec 2013 #114

You're right OwnedByCats Jan 2014 #117

Unfortunately - yes. Ms. Toad Dec 2013 #81

You know something, I've been disagreeing with you lately... Jester Messiah Dec 2013 #52

She works with a company that does in-home nutritional and infusion therapy, NOT a hospital uppityperson Dec 2013 #44

I don't see what the difference is. kcr Dec 2013 #45

I agree, just clearing up that it isn't a hospital. nt uppityperson Dec 2013 #46

okay kcr Dec 2013 #47

I was citing the article when I identified where she worked as a hospital Ms. Toad Dec 2013 #49

It could be they are linked with a hospital, I looked them up directly. uppityperson Dec 2013 #53

I just clicked on their career options Ms. Toad Dec 2013 #60

Our local conglomerate healthcare business started with hospital, then they added support uppityperson Dec 2013 #62

+1 & - I agree with you lunasun Dec 2013 #54

Thanks. Ms. Toad Dec 2013 #90

Thank you for the input, Ms. Toad Hekate Dec 2013 #82

You're welcome. n/t Ms. Toad Dec 2013 #91

She shouldn't be working as a nurse if she's pregnant and unvaccinated mainer Dec 2013 #26

Fired is totally correct HERVEPA Dec 2013 #27

So why didn't she say it was for religious reasons, I wonder. ananda Dec 2013 #28

Because she was raised to be honest, perhaps? ScreamingMeemie Dec 2013 #79

I do not get the flu shot, and have not for nearly twenty years. Savannahmann Dec 2013 #30

I read somewhere recently that the shot does cause a reaction in some. Phentex Dec 2013 #33

And that's fine when it's only you involved jeff47 Dec 2013 #34

And the reactions to the shot could get worse Savannahmann Dec 2013 #35

You're taking what I said far too far. jeff47 Dec 2013 #38

The woman in question had three miscarriages Savannahmann Dec 2013 #39

The doctor would have to back that up with something. jeff47 Dec 2013 #40

some people don't get the flu demigoddess Dec 2013 #63

Report to the research lab: science wants a look at your family's DNA! Hekate Dec 2013 #98

mid sixties now and still haven't had it demigoddess Jan 2014 #118

I think part of it has to do libodem Dec 2013 #32

There must be more to this story. Period. No kneejerking until all the info is out. uppityperson Dec 2013 #43

When did it become OK for a corporation to force someone to inject something into their bodies? bonzaga Dec 2013 #51

Most places let you wear a mask instead and limit your involvement with brittle or acute patients uppityperson Dec 2013 #56

+1 darkangel218 Dec 2013 #78

when corporations sign your paycheck and write the rules SoCalDem Dec 2013 #58

If you work at a healthcare facility where flu shots are required, you have to accept SoCalDem Dec 2013 #55

Of course she does know the cdc recommends pregnant women nadinbrzezinski Dec 2013 #57

This is fucked up. hunter Dec 2013 #69

That's unrealistic, she's a health care worker, and should be expected... Humanist_Activist Dec 2013 #72

Welcome to Capitalist paradise! hunter Dec 2013 #73

Actually no, even if she was working for a NHS or other type of public system here... Humanist_Activist Dec 2013 #74

Are you sure you are a "Humanist?" hunter Dec 2013 #88

I'm more concerned about an immuno-compromised patient of hers getting influenza and... Humanist_Activist Dec 2013 #95

Unless she is a religious wing-nut NoOneMan Dec 2013 #76

Because religion has a privileged place in society, I don't agree with it, I just acknowledge it... Humanist_Activist Dec 2013 #87

Your assumption that it is based on medical ignorance is misplaced. Ms. Toad Dec 2013 #86

So basically its inconclusive and her doctor is trying for the "better safe than sorry" approach... Humanist_Activist Dec 2013 #96

Just because there is a general recommendation for women to be vaccinated Ms. Toad Dec 2013 #106

Most statistical data, taken as a whole, do not support her concern kcr Dec 2013 #115

So you don't like the story as reported, so you just change it. Ms. Toad Jan 2014 #116

What did I change about the story? kcr Jan 2014 #119

The story, as reported, is that they do allow religious exemptions. Ms. Toad Jan 2014 #120

Where does it say they do not allow medical exemptions. kcr Jan 2014 #122

When even the Huffington Post says it's safe kcr Dec 2013 #99

Seriously? Ms. Toad Dec 2013 #104

Right, because that's the only source. Geeze. kcr Dec 2013 #110

I doubt that's what the communication from her doctor said. Ms. Toad Dec 2013 #111

Why is the flu a joking matter? kcr Dec 2013 #112

Catching the flu is far more likely to cause a miscarriage than the shot jeff47 Dec 2013 #101

I suspect from your response that you responded Ms. Toad Dec 2013 #103

Except their advice, and yours, utterly ignores the danger caused by the flu itself. jeff47 Dec 2013 #105

You're making assumptions you don't have the information to support Ms. Toad Dec 2013 #107

No, I'm not. jeff47 Dec 2013 #109

I would have fired her too. backscatter712 Dec 2013 #80

This poor woman has had 3 miscarriages, and she's desperate pnwmom Jan 2014 #121

If her doctor writes her an excuse that should be the end of it Nikia Dec 2013 #83