PEFopposesmandatoryflu
shotsforhealthcaremembers
N
By DEBORAH A. MILES
SUNY. PEFDirectorofOccupationalHealth
Withtheonsetoffallcomesthe
“ItisPEF’spositionthisregulation andSafetyJonathanRosensaidthe
controversyofwhetherornottogeta
hasseriousflawsthatwarrantits CentersforDiseaseControlandother
T
I
O
flushot.Thisyear,thestate
withdrawal,”Marie-Hansonsaid. healthagenciespromoteavoluntary
DepartmentofHealth(DOH)isn’t
“Insteadofmandatingvaccination,we approachtoinfluenzaimmunizations.
allowingcertainhealthcareworkersto
areencouragingDOHtoworkin “DOHhasmadeeffortstoincrease
haveachoice.
partnershipwithunionsandemployers voluntaryvaccinationthrough
DOHissuedanemergency
inpromotingvoluntaryvaccinationand informationalkits,fliersandposters,”
’
S
T
A
regulationinAugustmandating“health
otherinfluenzainfectioncontrol Rosensaid.“Itisourexperiencethese
carefacilitypersonnel”gettheseasonal
measures.” effortshavenotbeenfullyembracedby
influenzaandtheH1N1vaccines.
PEFisworkingwiththeNewYork themajorityofhealthcareemployers
S
E
S
TheaffectedPEFmembersworkat
StateNursesAssociation,CivilService andneedtobebolstered.
R
theSUNYhospitalsinSyracuse,
EmployeesAssociation,1199Service “Protectinghealthcareworkersand
U
BrooklynandStonyBrook,andat
EmployeesInternational patientsfromhospital-borneinfluenza
RoswellParkCancerInstitute,Lockport
Union,DC37,United requiresacomprehensiveapproachto
N
MemorialandHelenHayesHospitals.
FederationofTeachers infectioncontrol.Narrowlyfocusingon
Thevaccinesaretobeprovidedfree
andotherunionsto vaccinationsofhealthcareworkers
ofcost,andhealthcareworkersmust
addressthemandate. missestheboat,”Rosensaid.
receivethembyNovember30.
“Wedon’tfeelthe “Healthcarefacilitiesmayusethe
vaccinationsshouldbe vaccinationrequirementasareason
Refusingtheshot
mandatory,”saidDee nottoimplementappropriateinfection
Themandateraisesaconcernabout
Dodson,PEFRegion12 controls,”Brynienadded.“TheDOH
whathappensifyourefusetobe
coordinatorandchairof hasopposedprovidingN95respirators
vaccinated.
thePEFNurses
PEFPresidentKenBryniensaidthe
Committee.“Itinfringes
regulationrequirespersonnelbe
onpeoples’rightsto
DODSON
tohealthcareworkerswhoprovide
directcaretoinfectiouspatients.”
PEFandtheNewYorkCommittee
immunizedasapreconditionto
choosewhattheyintroduceintotheir forOccupationalSafetyandHealthand
employmentandonanannualbasis.
ownbodies.Somepeoplehavereligious statehealthcareunionshavemade
Failuretocomplywithanordertobe
objections,othershavehealthissues.” recommendationstoDOHtowithdraw
vaccinatedcouldresultinachargeof
theregulationtomandatetheflu
insubordinationandotheradverse
Oneexception vaccinationstohealthcarepersonnel.
employmentactions.
Theregulationallowsforan Theyalsohaverecommended
PEFencouragesmemberstocomply
exceptionifthevaccineismedically creatingataskforceofstakeholdersto
withtheregulation,butisopposedto
contraindicatedforanindividual.It assistinthedevelopmentofamore
themandateandtheregulatory
doesnotallowanexceptionforan effectiveandcomprehensiveapproach
requirement.
individual’sreligiousorphilosophical topreventthespreadofinfluenza.And
“DOHactedwithoutsufficient
objection. theyhaverequestedtherevisionofthe
consultationwithhealthcareworker
“PEFisveryconcernedno DOHguidelinesonrespiratory
professionalorganizationsandlabor
proceduresareinplacetoprotect protectiontoprotecthealthcare
unions,”saidJemmaMarie-Hanson,
memberswithreligiousor workers,patients,residentsand
Region11coordinatorandanRNat
philosophicalobjections,”Bryniensaid. clients.
“Wealsoneedtobevigilantin
“Instead of mandating vaccination,
monitoringotherworklocationswhere
thevaccineisencouragedbutnot
we are encouraging DOH to work in
required,”Bryniensaid.“Ifamember
becomesawarethatanyworklocation,
otherthanthosewelisted,requires
partnership with unions and
employeestobeimmunized,heshould
contactthePEFHealthandSafety
employers in promoting voluntary
Departmentimmediately.”
Forfurtherupdates,checkthe
vaccination and other influenza
healthandsafetysectiononthePEF
Websiteforafactsheet,andcheckthe
infection control measures.”
weeklyPEFInformationLinemessages.
— Jemma Marie-Hanson
Region 11 Coordinator
Page16—TheCommunicatorOctober2009 PEFInformationLine:1-800-553-2445
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32