True Story

[Palerider]

I am starting this to see what others think about this. When I hear these kinds of stories it makes me think what is this world and the people in it coming to. Here we go

My wife works at our local hospital in the Lab dept. This past year all employees were required to get a flu shot and swine flu shot. One female in the lab refused and stated she was pregnant. The hospital asked her to bring a note from her Dr stating such. This female did not bring in a note and they gave her deadline or she would be suspended. Deadline came and went and no note from Dr. The hospital suspended her for 30 days. She stayed away for 30 days and on day 31 came in with a note from Dr stating she was pregnant. The hospital let her go because she was too late with the note.

Now this lady is pregnant and now has no job and no health insurance and is not married but lives with boyfriend.

What are people thinking, trying to outsmart and be cute. Do people really need jobs??? Why would someone choose to do this??? wow

[bytor2112]

Why didn't the hospital JUST accept her word that she was pregnant?

[pam]

Well if she can be covered under her boyfriends policy..understandable. Plus, maybe she was looking for a way to be able to collect unemployment instead. Can't do that if you quit..and doesn't sound like there was gross negligence there.

[Palerider]

Why didn't the hospital JUST accept her word that she was pregnant?

all i know is they required all employees to get flu shots...she stated she coulc not get one...they asked her for a note from her Dr...just a note and she refused....then 30 off to get one in or she would be let go....31 days later she comes in with one....they terminated her.

[Mahone]

all i know is they required all employees to get flu shots...she stated she coulc not get one...they asked her for a note from her Dr...just a note and she refused....then 30 off to get one in or she would be let go....31 days later she comes in with one....they terminated her.

Without knowing the full story, sounds like she was a bit annoyed she had to prove she was pregnant and rebelled by coming in a day after the deadline to hand the note in.

[pam]

Mahone what are you doing up so late? Isn't it past your bed time?

[Nikkie85]

I work at a hospital and believe it is my DUTY as a employee to get a flu shot. I am only a secretary but I come in contact with patients with weakened immune systems and could not tolerate getting the flu. It is also highly recommended for pregnant women to get a flu vaccine so I don't really know why this employee was refusing. I do not think it is fair to put patients at risk because I do not want to get a flu vaccine. People come to hospitals to get treatment it is bad enough they come in contact with other sick patients and staff who refuse to get flu shots. Most of my patients wear masks to protect themselves. I personally don't want to get the flu from patients or other staff either. Then I would take home the flu and give it to my husband and he would probably spread it around work and the cycle just continues. I feel like if you are going to work in patient care there are certain things you must do such as get your yearly flu shot and TB skin test. If you don't want to do these things than get another job. You are there to help others feel better not to make them sicker.

[pam]

I agree Nikkie

[Palerider]

I work at a hospital and believe it is my DUTY as a employee to get a flu shot. I am only a secretary but I come in contact with patients with weakened immune systems and could not tolerate getting the flu. It is also highly recommended for pregnant women to get a flu vaccine so I don't really know why this employee was refusing. I do not think it is fair to put patients at risk because I do not want to get a flu vaccine. People come to hospitals to get treatment it is bad enough they come in contact with other sick patients and staff who refuse to get flu shots. Most of my patients wear masks to protect themselves. I personally don't want to get the flu from patients or other staff either. Then I would take home the flu and give it to my husband and he would probably spread it around work and the cycle just continues. I feel like if you are going to work in patient care there are certain things you must do such as get your yearly flu shot and TB skin test. If you don't want to do these things than get another job. You are there to help others feel better not to make them sicker.

The hospital where my wife works at now wants them to come in and change into their scrubs and not wear their own personal uniforms in. This is not a requirement but its encouraged to do so.

[john doe]

I think the hospital had a policy and this woman violated it. They were justified in doing what they did. Too often people push the rules just to see how much they can get away with, and this lady found out the hard way that what she could get away with was right at the end of the hospital's rules. It's a hospital for heavens sake, how hard would it have been to get a blood test to show pregnancy? The people there must know a doctor who could have ordered a test. While she may have been protesting or nervous about the vaccination, if her employer required it and she refused, then that's her decision to be terminated. Depending on the state, refusal to perform duties, as long as they are legal, can be cause to deny unemployment benefits, so she might have hurt herself there as well. It's also possible she used the deadline time to try to get pregnant so she could provide a note to avoid the shot, but doing that it is really a stupid idea. Either way, she brought this on herself.

[Roseslipper]

i do not think the hospital should make u get a flu shot if u dont want to get one im sorry. there are some people who dont beleive in getting flu shots or the swine flu shot etc etc. for the stuff in the shots i heard are not good for you in many ways.....If an employee gets sick they should just take off and take care of themselves and come back when they are better.

[Iggy]

The hospital where my wife works at now wants them to come in and change into their scrubs and not wear their own personal uniforms in. This is not a requirement but its encouraged to do so.

Hey, I am all for that- they pay for the scrubs and the cleaning!!

At the medical clinic where I go, they just changed their policies and their Dr's and nurses all wear street clothes now. NO scrubs. No white coats. Frankly, I prefer when the staff wear the scrubs. That way I know who is staff and who isn't.

Plus, I feel that nurses and Dr's should not wear fingernail polish that is green, purple, black, yellow, orange, or red. It makes their hands look dirty and or bloody!! YUCK!! the nurse that assisted my Dr today had on black polish. I asked her if her hands were washed! The Dr was taking a biopsy of a sore on the back of my leg.

She said, ". . .giggle, giggle, I will be wearing gloves." I said: But you are your hands clean before you handle the gloves that you put on?? With that polish- your hands do not look clean.

The Dr assured me her hands were clean. I asked if the polish and the street clothes were now the norm, he said yes. I said: Too Bad. At least in scrubs you look like you work here, and you all look clean.

[marts1]

I worked at a government funded housing company where half the tenants were on gov. assistance. Some of these subsidized homes would be almost rent free and yet you would often see rent not being paid for several months. Many of these people would ruin there units and then ask for a transfer and ruin another unit. These people would also complain about the poor living conditions which they created themselves. I worked for this company for about 10 years which is why I am now insane.

[john doe]

Hmmmm, I thought that all Canadian Government programs were perfect.

[Palerider]

Hmmmm, I thought that all Canadian Government programs were perfect.

Didn't you mean all programs except for the ones in this country are perfect....:D:D

[marts1]

Hmmmm, I thought that all Canadian Government programs were perfect.

hmmmmm no, can't think of anything perfect whatsoever in this country

[john doe]

Congratulations!!!!! You could be the first Canadian to admit that in public to Americans.

[Lbybug]

hmmmmm no, can't think of anything perfect whatsoever in this country

except me. i'm sure pam will agree.

[dazed-and-confused]

i agree with john doe. when i was nursing, there was a deal called "professional curtosy", where doctors and nurses, specially those that worked together, did things, within the confines of the law and professionalism, for each other. i can easily see how things may have changed these days, but surely, working in a hospital, she could've gotten a note from a Dr. there. seems like she was testing the system and was bitten. oops.

[Palerider]

except me. i'm sure pam will agree.

I will just say...no comment....^_^

[dazed-and-confused]

wow...i go to post one little comment after john doe's, and a whole slew of others have slid right in there....lol.

[Gwen]

so it's already been mentioned but pregnant women are encouraged to get the flu shot. i would think she would want to protect herself and her baby even more because she will be exposed to it in he working environment.

however she has the right to not get one. i never do. i also think the hospital has the right to protect it's patients and their liability. if she got the flu and her baby were hurt i could see someone trying to blame the hospital.

on the other hand, it's a hospital. they don't have pregnancy tests? i know my husband's work makes him do drug test where he has to pee in proximity of the nurse. they couldn't take her to a room and say "pee in this cup, we are going to run a pregnancy test"? at her expense of course. now if the note from the doc was also supposed to include why she isn't supposed to get a flu shot (rather than follow the recommendations given) then i can understand waiting for the note.

with my pregnancies my doc always gave me a prescription. just like for meds though it said i was pregnant and the due date. never knew why, thought it was kinda cute to keep for the baby book but maybe that would have worked for employers as well. lol

[Wingnut]

Pregnant women are encouraged to get the flu shot, but what about H1N1 vaccine? Not being pregnant (and not getting that vaccine this year), I didn't pay attention to the guidelines. Is that safe (or recommended) to get while pregnant?

[Nikkie85]

Pregnant women were strongly encouraged to get the H1N1 vaccine.

I personally would not go to or work at a office that let their employees where street clothes. We wear scrubs because they get filthy! Even though I sit at the front desk and only check patients in I still get coughed and sneezed on. Or if someone codes in our department it is everyone (including me although the only thing I can do is get gloves or whatever the doctor needs) it can get pretty dirty. I am the one that has to refill the printer and fax toner which can get pretty nasty : ) We are not allowed to have to have fake nails, long natural nails, or nail polish. All employees are offered the green surgical scrubs but many myself included buy my own. You are not allowed to wear the hospital provided scrubs outside of the hospital. I choose not to wear them because they are either huge on me or to small. Plus I don't come in direct contact with body fluids.

[Bluejay]

Everyone here is so quick to judge this woman for trying to push the rules and get away with something.

Why is nobody considering the possibility that she is just lazy or forgetful?

Maybe she miscalculated the number of days or remembered the deadline incorrectly?

Or, maybe she went home everyday saying, "Oh shoot! I forgot to get that test! Oh well, I'll do it tomorrow."

Seriously, y'all, why does everybody assume there is foul play involved?

Do y'all really have that bleak an opinion of people?