When I worked monitoring medical care in the nursing homes in the Valley, for 4 1/2 years, I spoke with many nurses. It was common knowledge that after the patients were given the flu shot, there was a high incidence of patients developing pneumonia. Also, there was a high incidence of the flu. It is easy for patients to refuse to take the flu shot. They can refuse it verbally, this is written in their chart, and there is no reprisal from the doctor or nurses. It is the right of the patient to refuse the shot when the nurses come around on flu shot day, which is when the vaccine becomes available, in the fall. The information I am reporting to you is common knowledge in the nursing homes, and everyone can learn from this.
Nancy
