Nanny refuses to get flu shot?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"Nanny here. Personally I am sicker the years I get the flu shot than the years I don't. I may not get the flu when I have the shot but I seem to catch EVERYTHING else. Maybe your nanny has good reason not to get the flu shot. If she's like me she would put your baby at a greater risk if she gets the shot than if she skips it. "

Nanny here Agree same happen to me. BUT it would not be worth it to me not to get it. Your infaint should be number to your nanny in this case. If Dr said everyone shoud have flu shot. she should be on it. To me it seems nanny dose not really care, or is it she dose not understand?

There's another perfectly acceptable option here:

She understands fully, has researched it thoroughly, loves and cares about the baby, but does not want to take the shot as a result of her own research and decision making.

It comes down to a difference of opinion, and the pro-flu-shot crowd can find that stupid if they'd like. I find their decision to take the shot and get peace of mind out of it pretty stupid myself. It's called having a difference of opinion- doesn't make one better than the other, only makes one better than the other for each individual person.

I agree that it is everyone's prerogative to get or not get vaccinated. But some opinions are better than others. And in this case, the weight of scientific evidence is on the side of vaccination.

[Anonymous]

Find 100 doctors, ask them each their opinion on the flu shot. My bet is you will get 30 who think it's the greatest thing since penicillin, 30 who think it's a waste, and 40 who say there are pros and cons and it's up to you. I work for a doctor who falls into the latter category.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does it state that she must get a flu shot in your contract with her? If so, did she sign it? If not, there is nothing you can do. Do you have a contract w/ her? If not, that is your fault. I understand that you want to protect your child but it is something you should've thought of before hiring her. How many paid and unpaid sick days are you offering her? You can always tell her to err on the side of caution if she does feel ill and not come to work that day.

Of couse there is something she can do. As OP clearly stated, she is aware that she can't force the nanny to have a flu shot. However, contract or no contract, she can terminate the nanny for refusing to have the flu shot. Sure, ideally this would have been discussed prior to hiring but in reality there is no way to forsee and resolve every potential conflict. OP, only you can decide how important this issue is to you. Personally, if the nanny doesn't have some extenuating circumstance that makes flu shot a problem for her, I would be inclined to begin looking for a replacement. I generally do not get the flu shot - it makes me feel crappy for several days. But the two years that I had infants, I got the flu shot b/c the potential harm to them outwweighed the potential discomort and inconvenience to me. I really don't think it is too much to ask that a nanny do the same.

Really? Could health care workers be sacked for refusing to get the flu shot? I doubt it.

Absolutely. Depends on the job but my friend is a health educator in NY state and was required by law to get the shot or lose her job. I'm sure they have medical exemption forms for people who shouldn't get the shot, but the vast majority of people can get the shot. Millions do every year in fact and few have complications.

As for OP, in the future you should stipulate up front in the contract.

[Anonymous]

or better yet just stop trying to control other people.

[Anonymous]

OP, is it in your contract? if not, sorry but you can not obligate her.
if it is I feel sorry for a nanny that accepted to sign a document with such a controlling person.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"Nanny here. Personally I am sicker the years I get the flu shot than the years I don't. I may not get the flu when I have the shot but I seem to catch EVERYTHING else. Maybe your nanny has good reason not to get the flu shot. If she's like me she would put your baby at a greater risk if she gets the shot than if she skips it. "

Nanny here Agree same happen to me. BUT it would not be worth it to me not to get it. Your infaint should be number to your nanny in this case. If Dr said everyone shoud have flu shot. she should be on it. To me it seems nanny dose not really care, or is it she dose not understand?

There's another perfectly acceptable option here:

She understands fully, has researched it thoroughly, loves and cares about the baby, but does not want to take the shot as a result of her own research and decision making.

It comes down to a difference of opinion, and the pro-flu-shot crowd can find that stupid if they'd like. I find their decision to take the shot and get peace of mind out of it pretty stupid myself. It's called having a difference of opinion- doesn't make one better than the other, only makes one better than the other for each individual person.

You are right, she is entitled to a difference of opinion, but I am entitled to protect my newborn. Why is that so hard for people to grasp. It is my decision and my pediatrician says everyone around my newborn should get the shot. Simple.

[Anonymous]

Oh I didn't know pediatricians now are almighty.

[Anonymous]

How old is the baby?

[Anonymous]

"You are right, she is entitled to a difference of opinion, but I am entitled to protect my newborn. Why is that so hard for people to grasp. It is my decision and my pediatrician says everyone around my newborn should get the shot. Simple. "

There are only two guarantees in life: you're born and you'll die. That's it. The flu shot does not guarantee anything and you'll be sorely disappointed if you think every single person who comes near your infant is going to inject themselves with poison and if they do that it's going to protect against everything. It's not. Learn to live with it. Getting the flu is the only way to vaccinate yourself against future bouts.

[Anonymous]

"Find 100 doctors, ask them each their opinion on the flu shot. My bet is you will get 30 who think it's the greatest thing since penicillin, 30 who think it's a waste, and 40 who say there are pros and cons and it's up to you. I work for a doctor who falls into the latter category. "

Please post the name of your doctor who disagrees with the recommendation for an infant childcare provider getting a flu shot. I think I'll go with the AMA, AAP, my pediatrician and the CDC over a passel of fruitcakes on a nanny discussion board.

[Anonymous]

I'm a nanny. I get a flu shot every year (at my expense). I go to CVS or Safeway or some place like that. It usually costs about $25. I simply don't want to get the flu. I've had the flu, many years ago, and it ain't no picnic. I miss work, I feel like shit and I could possibly pass it onto my charges. I have no psychological fear of the flu shot which led me to wonder if this is a cultural thing. For instance, if your nanny was a Jehovah's Witness, she will never be injected with anything that could be catagorized as human blood or tissue. That is her religious belief. And I wonder if certain other cultures come here with a distrust of the pharmaceuticals that we openly accept in our culture.(This is not a slam against the many prescription drugs that we consume in this country-many of them have helped a great many people-this more of a cultural inquiry). Maybe being inoculated with something that seems strange and foreign is actually frightening to some nannies. Did you ask your nanny a direct question about what her reasons were for not getting a flu shot? If so, I would be truly interested in her responses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"Find 100 doctors, ask them each their opinion on the flu shot. My bet is you will get 30 who think it's the greatest thing since penicillin, 30 who think it's a waste, and 40 who say there are pros and cons and it's up to you. I work for a doctor who falls into the latter category. "

Please post the name of your doctor who disagrees with the recommendation for an infant childcare provider getting a flu shot. I think I'll go with the AMA, AAP, my pediatrician and the CDC over a passel of fruitcakes on a nanny discussion board.

i work for one.

[Anonymous]

Are we talking the basic flu shot or the swine flu shot?

Either way, if you sack the nanny she will be entitled to unemployment unless you agreed in your contract that she would get it.

Otherwise, it acts differently in different people. My DH gets horribly sick every time he gets the regular flu shot. With two asthmatic children, it is recommended for us. Me - no worries. So it am sure the nanny who says she is gets sick is not exaggerating - I have seen it happen in my own household. We have hand sanititizers in all cars, use them, and I and the kids get the shot and my DH abstains. Works for us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
"Find 100 doctors, ask them each their opinion on the flu shot. My bet is you will get 30 who think it's the greatest thing since penicillin, 30 who think it's a waste, and 40 who say there are pros and cons and it's up to you. I work for a doctor who falls into the latter category. "

Please post the name of your doctor who disagrees with the recommendation for an infant childcare provider getting a flu shot. I think I'll go with the AMA, AAP, my pediatrician and the CDC over a passel of fruitcakes on a nanny discussion board.

i work for one. "

Then please post the name and speciality of the doctor for whom you work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:
"Find 100 doctors, ask them each their opinion on the flu shot. My bet is you will get 30 who think it's the greatest thing since penicillin, 30 who think it's a waste, and 40 who say there are pros and cons and it's up to you. I work for a doctor who falls into the latter category. "

Please post the name of your doctor who disagrees with the recommendation for an infant childcare provider getting a flu shot. I think I'll go with the AMA, AAP, my pediatrician and the CDC over a passel of fruitcakes on a nanny discussion board.

i work for one. "

Then please post the name and speciality of the doctor for whom you work.

why would i do that. it's none of your business. if she wants to post it on here she can. as nannies we have confidentiality agreements with the families we work for. some of us chose to uphold them and apparently some, such as yourself, don't.