Most nurses are vaccinated - so why do people think health workers are vaccine hesitant?

[Jilly_in_VA]

Charlaine was skeptical of the vaccines at first. She wondered how they were created so quickly, and she was wary of the long history of medical experimentation and disregard for Black people like her in the United States.

But then Charlaine, a nurse in a neonatal intensive care unit, thought about the disparate health outcomes for people of color in the pandemic – and knew that she might not receive the same level of care as others if she got sick.

She did her research and determined that the mRNA vaccines, which became available to health workers late last year, are safe and effective. Charlaine, who asked to use only her first name to protect her job, got her vaccine in January. “Here we have this virus that is killing, maiming, debilitating people, and I knew that if I was in a position of being sick, I would be treated differently and probably not survive. So that was one layer of protection that I wanted to give myself,” she said.

A year and a half into the pandemic, healthcare workers are exhausted, burned out and worried that the worst is far from over. Amid that stress, much attention has been focused on nurses who haven’t received the vaccine, even though the majority of these essential workers have been inoculated. That has left many nurses feeling betrayed, both by their unvaccinated patients and by public perception.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/sep/09/us-nurses-vaccinated-vaccine-hesitant

[JT45242]

1. because many health care workers are not vaccinated

We have had several breakthorugh outreaks in nursing homes in Iowa and the news has reported the percentage of workers who were vaccinated atthe facility to be much lower than you would expect (I would expect 90+ they were in the 60% range).

The same goes for Florida.

Plus you had the couple dozen that protested the hospital mandate in Pennsylvania.

Whether it is orderlies, nurses, aides or whatever -- much more than the 10% or so that you would think are unvaccinated are not vaccinated.

[Salviati]

2. For the same reason that they think scientists are split on climate change.

News stories that present "both sides" as equally weighted, not having on 20+ doctors/nurses/scientists on the side of science for every one who is not.

There's also a failure to distinguish between people who work in the field of health care, and people who are educated in the field of health care.

[lagomorph777]

13. Yup. Innumeracy is rampant in America.

And sometimes, even on DU.

[Voltaire2]

3. because there is a well funded coordinated disinfo campaign in progress?

the article barely hints at the reality. and proceeds to amplify the views of the 'wonts' without clearly answering the question it asks in the headline.

[marybourg]

5. Because we read in the media that they are not,

and we know some in our own lives that are not. That's why.

[DURHAM D]

6. It only takes one stupid unvaccinated

nurse to pass it on to patients. I visited with my 94 year old aunt through the window of her assisted living unit. She is vaccinated.
One of the people who came into her room was wearing her mask as a necklace. I took her picture.

I sent the picture to her employer. Apparently the nurse was not vaccinated. She was fired for failure to mask.

[mitch96]

16. "It only takes one stupid unvaccinated nurse " I have worked in hospitals for a long time

I have met some really smart nurses and a good amount of drones... I'm guessing the drones are the anti vaxxers...ymmv.
m

[Locutusofborg]

7. New York has 130,000 unvaccinated healthcare workers

New York’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for health care workers has ignited concerns that nearly 130,000 unvaccinated staff at hospitals and nursing homes will soon lose their jobs, potentially triggering a workforce crisis as delta variant cases surge.
About 94,500 hospital workers and 35,000 nursing home workers remain unvaccinated as of Tuesday. The numbers reflect 21% and 24% of the overall workforces in hospitals and nursing homes, respectively.
https://www.lohud.com/story/news/coronavirus/2021/09/09/will-ny-revise-ny-covid-vaccine-mandate/5774999001/

[Lisa0825]

8. At the hospital at which I work, the percentage of nurses vaccinated is

like 10 points lower than the overall percentage of all employees.

But then, this is Texas, y'all.

[lame54]

9. Because the most ignorant are also the loudest...

Vaccinated nurses quietly get to work

While unvaccinated ones hit the airwaves to spout their ridiculous theories

[Iggo]

10. Because news outlets like to generalize their headlines for clicks. (n/t)

[Silent3]

11. Unfortunately US nursing has a large contingent of the woo-begotten

These nurses, although they work in largely (though not perfectly) science-based medical profession, can be unreasonably skeptical about current western medicine, while simultaneously way to gullible about reiki, acupuncture, naturopathy, homeopathy, etc.

I've heard one explanation for this as being a way to feel "empowered" as compared to doctors.

[Effete Snob]

15. Yup

Most of the pseudoscientific health junk I've seen has been propounded by nurses.

I used to know a nurse who ran around charging multiple sclerosis patients to get stung by bees:

https://www.bbc.com/news/health-43513817

A woman has died after undergoing bee-sting therapy, a form of treatment backed by Gwyneth Paltrow.

The 55-year-old Spanish woman had been having live bee acupuncture for two years when she developed a severe reaction.

She died weeks later of multiple organ failure.

Researchers who studied the case say live bee acupuncture therapy is "unsafe and unadvisable".

Animal venom of all sorts, of course, contains compounds that can be, and are, used in all sorts of pharmaceuticals, etc.. But going around stinging people with bees is bone-stupid.

The explanation makes a lot of sense, btw, but that's true of a lot of woo stuff. Non-believers are unenlightened and closed-minded sheeple who reflexively fear things that don't fit in with their conditioned responses to anything different, and slavishly believe everything they hear from "authorities". Always the same self-aggrandizing shit to have a reason to feel superior to others.

[Effete Snob]

12. Because many of them are

I don't know where The Guardian is getting its information, but there are many vocal anti-vax health workers.

https://www.ksla.com/2021/08/17/la-ranks-dead-last-us-vaccination-rate-among-employees-nursing-facilities/

Data from the CDC shows just 44% of nursing staff members in Louisiana are fully vaccinated, as compared to 50% in Oklahoma, 57% in Texas and 64% in Arkansas. In northwest Louisiana however, 48% of nursing staff members are vaccinated, which is slightly above the state’s number. That’s according to the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH).

So, nurses in Louisiana are less likely to be vaccinated than random persons in the United States generally.

That's why. They are fucking idiots turned loose on sick people to kill them.

[snowybirdie]

14. Because

I was personally virtually beat up by several practicing nurses in Georgia because I posted get vaccinated, on a post on FB. They went on and on and refuted any argument I posted. Finally telling me I must be off my meds! Dispicable young women. They are out there unfortunately.

[Runningdawg]

17. In OK it's not just nurses but Drs, paramedics, dentists, fire fighters, police....

We are having a pandemic of cops dying from covid right now. And while the local newspaper profiled an ICU nurse who recently died in her own hospital, the majority of reactions and comments on social media were laughter and hate.

[Treefrog]

18. There was a huge protest in NC not too long ago when Atrium Health mandated vaccines.

LOTS of nurses were there.