The Importance Of Health Care

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Health Care workers (HCW) have a duty to do their upmost to protect the general wellbeing of patients. The health of a HCW is the first line of defense when it comes to maintaining public health. Each worker receives special training as to how to deal with a “sick” patient in various situations. However, it is not a law to make the prevention of illness, in the case of vaccines, mandatory. Health care facilities do not always make it a requirement for their employees, who are in contact with patients who are already at a disadvantage to fight of illness, to be vaccinated even against the common influenza. To be truly looking out for the well-being of patients, HCWs have to exercise preventative measures in all areas of life. This would include …show more content…

Daniel Goodman and Christopher Weber made a similar point when discussing the importance of the H1N1 virus vaccination when they said, “HCW are limited in number; their health is a priority. HCW ‘have a responsibility to protect their own health and well-being, grounded in their professional commitment to ensure adequate availability of care’” (Goodman & Weber 2011). Knowing that there is a risk to the patients they spend hours trying to make “feel better” should move any HCW to act. If there is a possibility that contact with another patient would make their patient sick they would use every safety measure to limit the chance of contact or contamination. Similarly if you could make them sick by bringing them a virus it only makes sense to take steps to limit the chance of spreading. If you take the time to keep up to date on your vaccines wouldn’t you expect your co-workers to do the same? The majority rule would not necessarily keep your patient healthy if the only sick nurse with the flu came and took their vitals of your patient. The first line of defense shouldn’t be limited to the majority of HCW but to every individual in the health care …show more content…

Vaccine Rights: Exemptions and Waivers. Retrieved October 26, 2014, from http://www.vaccinerights.com/healthcareworkers.html
Daniel Goodman and Christopher Webster (April 2011). The Mandatory Vaccination of Health Care Workers. Retrieved October 26, 2014, from http://www.americanbar.org/publications/law_practice_today_home/law_practice_today_archive/april11/the_mandatory_vaccination_of_health_care_workers.html National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (April 2014). Recommended Vaccines for Healthcare Workers. Retrieved October 26, 2014, from

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