Healthcare organization employees and influenza vaccination

Abstract

Through ethical reasoning, this paper will demonstrate several ways in which a mandatory requirement for all health-care staff to obtain the annual influenza vaccination, unless medically or religiously unable, can improve patient and health-system outcomes. The influenza virus vaccination is provided to protect individuals from obtaining various strains of the influenza virus. Health care workers staffed in organizations aimed at providing optimal person-centred care are vulnerable to viral infection. The results of an extensive literature review showed that, when health-care staff are protected against influenza, patients are better able to trust their care providers, thanks to staff commitment to duty of care. In addition, when health-care staff in an organization receive the influenza vaccination, patients have better health outcomes. Lastly, results show that, when staff are protected against influenza, there is less absenteeism and the financial costs of care are reduced. The paper concludes that, when health-care staff are protected against influenza with the influenza vaccination, individuals are able to receive optimal, patient-centred care.