Nurses across the US are banding together to fight mandatory flu vaccine requirements by their employers. Some who refuse the vaccine are fired, while others are suspended without pay for 4-8 days or longer. But, that isn’t where the issue stops; it’s only the beginning.

It’s difficult to image that nurses who refuse to submit to an employer’s mandate that they inject something into their bodies that they don’t want or that they believe is unhealthy or ineffective wouldn’t be supported by co-workers. Instead, these individuals may find themselves harassed and ridiculed by peers, supervisors and, sometimes, doctors for asserting their constitutional rights.

When they return to work, these Healthcare Workers (HCW) are forced to wear surgical masks. In fact, they’re required to wear the masks for the duration of the flu season (November 1 to March 31).

There are cases where the masks have made the nurses a target for ridicule and harassment. The masks quickly became a stigma and readily identified the person’s refusal to take the flu shot. That within itself was argued as a violation of the nurses’ privacy and rights. But, instead of a punitive measure, the masks have become badges of honor for these determined professionals









Obamacare Blamed for Mandatory Healthcare Workers Flu Vaccinations

According to Health Impact News, Obamacare requires a medical facility to report a 70% compliance of mandatory flu vaccination of their health workers by 2015 and 90% compliance by 2020, but no matter the exact year of the upcoming deadline, most hospitals are gearing up for this mandate now. If the hospital or clinic fails to meet this regulation, then they won’t receive full reimbursement for Medicare or Medicaid patients.

This certainly places a different perspective on HCW mandatory flu shots. No longer is the issue concern for patients being exposed to infected HCW, but concerns that the hospital won’t achieve its financial goals by meeting that 90% mark.

More Nurses Refuse Flu Vaccine during 2013 -2014 Flu Season

The first protests that gained publicity in 2012 increased in 2013 as nurses around the US refused to allow themselves to be injected with the flu vaccine. Out of those refusing the vaccine, some lost their jobs while many more were ostracized by peers.

It wasn’t enough to simply refuse to take the shot based on constitutional rights. In many instances, those wishing to hold on to their jobs were forced to claim religious reasons for refusal. Those who didn’t usually lost their jobs.

Whether or not these nurses are protesting for health concerns or against the violation of their constitutional rights doesn’t matter when faced with the same consequences of any reason for refusal. Even a refusal based on a health-related reason backed-up by a doctor doesn’t insulate the employee from termination.

When pregnant nurse Dreonna Breton refused vaccination under her doctor’s orders, it didn’t matter. In December 2013, Health Impact News reported that Breton was declared exempt from taking the flu vaccination by her doctor due to high risk for miscarriage. She’d had several previous miscarriages. But, her hospital employer refused the doctor’s order and fired her.

This year, nurses who are refusing mandatory flu shots are organizing their efforts with YouTube videos and a Facebook page that currently has nearly 12,000 likes.