A community of 30,000 US Transcriptionist serving Medical Transcription Industry

Med. transcriptionists required to get flu shots? - onedayMT

Posted: Oct 01, 2011

HI all,

I could've sworn I read this somewhere that medical transcriptionists - even the REMOTE ones WORKING AT HOME ! - are REQUIRED by some employers to get annual flu shots. Is this true?? Does anyone have any experience with this? I found it quite odd, to say the least.

Also, does anyone know if this is true of med transcriptionists that work IN A HOSPITAL - this I know, that some hospitals these days are requiring vaccinations of all workers. Ready and waiting to read your input : )

Thanks!

flu shot - cr

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I worked in quite a few hospitals over many years, up until recently, and never was required to get a flu shot. Most years I chose not to.

I work for the biggest, OneDay, and no flu shot - requirement to date. NM

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x

I work at home directly for a hospital and they strongly - SM

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encourage us to come in for our free flu shot, but if we opt not to, we have to sign a waiver. However, if you work in the hospital and have direct patient/visitor contact they are requiring the shot.

I personally never get a flu shot. I've gotten them in the past and I know they say you can't get sick from the flu shot, but I always did get sick right after I had the shot. So I figured if I was going to be sick anyway, why bother. Plus I have had one documented case of the flu in the last 10 years and it wasn't that bad. I was sick with fever for two days and then had a cough for two weeks. My doctor took a nasal swab and it was flu, but it was too late for any of the anti-flu drugs they give you and just muddled through. I lived.

I do make my son get a flu shot every year because he has asthma and he is also the one that tends to bring germs home with him and make everyone else sick. And that has worked out well for us so far. Keeping him well, keeps the rest of us well.

Flu shot - RADMT

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I work at home for a hospital and we are required to get the flu shot. There is waiver you can sign to opt out. What happens if you opt out, I am not sure.

I worked for a university medical center and we did not. - once they moved us off campus

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We only had to when there was possibility of patient contact. I will probably get mine this year at my doctor's office.

I work at home and nobody will ever tell me what to do - with my body when I never

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set foot on their property for work or meetings, etc.

amen, sister! - freemindMT

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Learning what I've learned about vaccines especially with the flu and fast-track swine flu vaccine combo, I don't want anything to do with it. It should be the choice of the person, especially in their own home. Even an in institution, it should be a person's choice, as long as real germ safety standards are in place, as others mention (stayin in when sick, handwashing).

Until vaccine manufacturers can guarantee in writing that there is no harm in taking these laboratory cocktails, and be LIABLE and RESPONSIBLE for their products, I'll have my health be my own responsibility.

freemindMT - Rationalist

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I'm with you. And studies have shown that the flu vaccine is only 12% effective. My physician (yes, an M.D.) says he thinks the flu shot is very dangerous.

Flu shot - Rainy

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I never had an employer, in-hospital or at-home, require a flu shot. Tetanus vaccine was required in-hospital, though. Not a bad idea for a major klutz like me.

In-House - nursingstudent

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I'm in nursing school and the hospital where I am doing my clinical requires all in-house employees to get a flu shot unless you have an allergy to something in the shot. I always get mine anyone, but I really think it should be your choice. I'm not much for employer mandates!

Flu Shot - FLMLS

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I got sick one year from the flu thought I was gonna die, so I work at home and I get that darn Flu shot no matter what. No fun to try and transcribe with a bucket by our side, aches and pains, trying to keep you head up, etc.

I think, tho, we're talking 'required by employer.' - not so much personal choice.

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.

Flu shots - Me

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I do not get flu shots, ever, because of religious objections (related to stem-cells). I do not want to debate that issue here, but I will tell you that they CANNOT force you to get a flu shot. Whether you do or you do not is your own personal choice.

Chicken eggs are not stem cells - Look It Up

[ In Reply To ..]
Flu shots are produced in chicken eggs, not stem cells. There is no connection between the two.

If you have an objection to vaccinations, that's fine, but you don't need to claim any religious objection to stem cells to avoid them.

It's a lot easier . . . and more believable . . . just to tell them you're allergic to eggs.

The consent form for the shot has a question asking if you are allergic to eggs. That doesn't have anything to do with stem cells, but has to do with EGGS. Chicken eggs.

And, no they can't force you to get a flu shot, but they can relieve you of your job if you refuse without a good reason. They have an obligation to protect their patients. If you choose to assert your right to be a Typhoid Mary, that's fine, but you don't have to be one on their payroll.

I get a flu shot every year because I had the flu once, nearly died, and lost a total of 4 weeks pay because of it. Years later, I contracted H1N1 before the vaccine was available in my area, ended up with pneumonia, and for two weeks expected not to wake up every time I went to sleep. I wanted to die that time and was sick for 3 months.

When you see how horrible the flu can be and how much pay you can lose because of it, it's amazing how much your attitude toward a little vaccination will change.

Look It Up - Me

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You need to do research about how the flu vaccine was developed. In any event, the issue was not a moral debate about stem cells (I made that clear in my post)but rather about each person's right to choice. I neither want nor need your pseudomedicl advice. You do what you want and I follow my own conscience. That's the way the world works. Have a nice evening.

Scientist here - chicken eggs are still not - Stem Cells

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I know how the flu vaccine was developed, and I also know WHEN. It was developed decades before stem cell research ever started.

Flu vaccine was developed in chicken eggs. They inject virus into the eggs, wait until it replicates sufficiently to harvest, and then harvest it.

I don't know what you are calling "stem cells," but maybe your definition is different.

I'm a microbiologist, so I'm pretty sure what I'm talking about. The flu vaccine given today IS MADE IN CHICKEN EGGS. READ THE LABEL.

Right, you don't want to discuss it because you have little ground to stand on. I choose to point this out because I feel it is MY moral obligation to inform people of the correct facts so that they don't get sucked into thinking this vaccine has anything to do with stem cells.

Do you eat eggs? If you do, then you can't claim to avoid this vaccine because it's grown in eggs and "eggs have stem cells." Eggs contain embryos, yes, and that's what you eat when you eat eggs. So, every time you EAT an EGG, you're consuming embryonic cells.

Stem Cells - sunshine

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If you are an actual microbiologist, why in the world are you working as a medical transcriptionist and/or posting on an MT board in the first place???

Off topic but, how on earth did you come to - alana

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the only conclusion that the microbiologist is working as a medical transcriptionist?

Me, I recommend the CDC website for reliable - information on this matter. As a

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starting point.

I also believe you owe LookItUp an apology for your rude tone in response to some very good, sensible advice.

BTW, the kind information offered might not just save you some days of misery, but could potentially save your life, or that of someone you care for. There are some nasty flu strains out there, with more mutating all the time. It is only a matter of time before we get one that spreads as eagerly as the H1N1 did but is as virulent as epidemiologists feared that one might turn out to be. Even if we do have a vaccine developed for it, people running to get vaccinated late may well find the supply has already run out.

That's the first time I've heard of flu shots being "required", - in the past, even as an in-house MT, - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
it was strongly recommended to have one, but never mandatory.

I agree with the poster who was talking about being as sick as a dog with the flu. It hits me HARD. When I have the flu, I basically lie down in bed and wait to die. (So far, that hasn't happened yet...)

Even though I'm isolated here at home, and not exposed to co-workers, I still do things like use ATM machines and grocery-store shopping carts. I carry antibacterial/flu virus wipes in my car and clean my hands every time I touch anything like that. I also wipe off the car keys, door handle, steering wheel, and my wallet.

The last time I got the flu, I had been really good about using the wipes and washing my hands a lot. But that day I neglected to wash my hands after going to an ATM for cash, and started getting sick about a day and a half later.

Now I gladly get a flu shot every year. It's cheap insurance against a potentially expensive illness.

In-house flu shots - kk

[ In Reply To ..]
The hospital that I used to work for required all employees to get a yearly flu shot, and it was paid for by the facility. Since I always get a flu shot, I thought this was great--it saved me time and money.

we were requested to get one at our hospital but could opt out. nm - NJMT

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x

I did almost die - travelinmt

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I ended up in the hospital, admitted through the ER after being sick and going to the doctor. My final trip to the doctor's office he sent me directly to the ER. Not something I ever want to experience again.

My hospital offered the flu shots and brought a shot cart around to each department so you didn't have to leave your desk. It was optional but they encouraged us to get them. I have gotten a flu shot every year since my hospital experience.

but your hospital 'offered' as you say, not demanded right? - subject topic

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.

Hospital offered-sm - travelinmt

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Yes they offered the flu shots it was not demanded that we get them. However, as we know, most of the time if you are working in-house it is in a room that resembles a closet; in fact I have worked in closets and patient exam rooms. I never was one to appreciate my co-workers who came to work sick by and tried to play the hero. What happened 99.9% of the time is they gave it to everyone else and caused much more sick time than they would have if they had just stayed home and not decided to share. So if you are so offended at getting the flu vaccine then please, if you work with me, save your heroics for someone else and don't bring your germs to share with me. It's just as bad as the parents who send their kids to school sick so they don't have to miss work.

It is a whole different senario if you are working at home vs working with other people in close proximity. If you work at home it should be your choice whether or not to have a flu shot.

Yes, "required" in house. - NotherRadMT

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I am in house in a radiology department. ALL employees are required to either get the flu vaccine OR wear a mask while at work. You can opt out of the shot for religious or health reasons, but then you wear a mask. (I am on Imuran for Crohn's, so I get the flu vaccine every year.) I'm not sure whether our home-based MTs have to document whether they have the shot or not.

"Required" - XXX

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I would happily wear a mask, but if I were every "required" to get the shot, they would be "required" to speak to my legal counsel.

Clarification on what's required - NotherRadMT

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Just to clarify what I meant to post, the requirement is that you either get the vaccine OR wear a mask. One of those 2 things. I would absolutely hate to have to wear a mask all through the season. Not sure what I would do about that! Our employer says that when we are seen wearing a mask, or answer questions about why we are wearing them, that's one way we are showing patients that we care about protecting them. Whatever!! I'd still hate it. But I get what they are saying.

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