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Mini physical for a new job in healthcare
so it looks like i got a job in a dr's office. the office is part of the local hospital and in a medical plaza right in front of the hosp. the office manager told me i will need a mini physical and they'll determine if i need any shots. she told me she needed a booster for MMR. i am really against immunizations for myself for many reasons, i'll be happy to tell you them if you want to know, and not sure what to say when this comes up.
i have worked in the healthcare field on and off for 11+ yrs and i realize the thoughts behind making sure that we are vaccinated. i have not worked in a place that required me to have shots before. i did get a Hep B shot waaaaay back when i worked for an office, but that was before i was against them.
any experience with this situation? can i decline the shots?
Re: Mini physical for a new job in healthcare
You may not have a choice, but you can certainly ask. DH is a nurse and he has to have vaccinations because if he contracts something, he could easily spread it to patients who have compromised immune systems.
Perhaps there's an alternative like having a blood titer done? I can't be tested for TB, for example, because I'm a positive reactor, so I have to have a chest xray done by the health department every so often whenever work requires.
No harm in asking, but if their response is that they require it, then they're probably not going to bend on it for you, regardless of your reasons. There are others out there who would probably like the job, and would be willing to get the vaccines.
There was a big kerfluffle over nurses being required to get a swine flu vaccine here, many didn't want to, or just didn't want to be required to. A requirement is a requirement, though, so they had a choice - get the vaccine or start job hunting.
Most healthcare workers can't decline vax for the biggies like MMR. I know that any time I've gotten a new job, I've required titers, with the understanding that if I titered negative, I would have to have a booster. Hep B is the only exception, because the Hep B series is more for personal protection. Additionally, some people never seroconvert, so having another series of Hep B may be pointless for some individuals.