St. E's Nurses Union opposes mandatory flu vaccines

By By JOLEEN FERRIS

Story Created: Oct 15, 2009 at 11:16 AM EST

Story Updated: Oct 15, 2009 at 11:16 AM EST

UTICA, N.Y. (WKTV) - New York State wants to make it mandatory for nurses to get both the seasonal and swine flu vaccines.

The New York State Nurses Association-the union which represents more than 500 nurses at Saint Elizabeth Medical Center in Utica-is encouraging the nurses to get the vaccines. But they have a problem with making it mandatory in the absence of a declared emergency.

A downstate nurse has filed a lawsuit attempting to block the state's effort to make the vaccines mandatory. NYSNA supports her effort, but says they are talking behind the scenes with the State Health Department, trying to find a way around compelling nurses to get the flu vaccines.

Officials at Saint Elizabeth Medical Center in Utica have not returned calls regarding how many of their nurses have received their vaccines, and how many are refusing them.
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