An Indiana hospital has fired eight nurses for not getting a flu shot. As concerns about the flu increased, Indiana University Health Goshen Hospital decided to make flu shots mandatory for all employees. When several nurses refused to get the vaccine, they were fired.
Veteran Nurse Among Those Fired
Ethel Hoover knew about the mandate but refused to take the vaccine. She filed several medical exemptions and a religious exemption but all of her attempts were refused, according to ABC News.
“This is my body. I have a right to refuse the flu vaccine,” Hoover, 61, told ABCNews.com. “For 21 years, I have religiously not taken the flu vaccine, and now you’re telling me that I believe in it.”
Hoover wore all black on her last day of work and she wasn’t alone. Eight other nurses were fired for the same reason. “Of the hospital’s 26,000 employees statewide, 95 percent complied. That means 1,300 employees did not comply, but only eight were fired.”
Hospital Responds to Letting Eight Nurse Go
The hospital spokesperson says the decision was made in an effort to protect patients.
“IU Health’s top priority is the health and wellbeing of our patients,” said hospital spokeswoman Whitney Ertel. “Participation in the annual Influenza Patient Safety Program is a condition of employment with IU Health for the health and safety of the patients that we serve, and is therefore required.”
Immunization Mandates Becoming More Popular
More and more health care providers are pushing for mandatory flu vaccinations.
Dr. William Schaffner, chair of preventive medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center tells ABC News he is trying to boost the staff immunization rate at his hospital as
well. He estimates the immunization rate among nurses is the lowest, running around 60 percent.
“There seems to be a persistent myth that you can get flu from a flu vaccine among nurses,” he said. “They subject themselves to more influenza by not being immunized, and they certainly do not participate in putting patient safety first.”
