Hospitals crack down on workers who refuse flu shots

The journalist, Lindsey Tanner, opens the article with the common knowledge that any patient can refuse a flu shot.  She follows with a rhetorical question, asking if doctors and nurses should be allowed this same refusal.  She states that many hospitals are beginning to fire employees who will not receive a flu shot.  The article includes quotations from certain hospital workers who were fired because they did not receive the shot, and they are outraged because of this.  One woman states, "Where does it say that I am no longer a patient if I am a nurse."  While this woman has a point, the journalist continues the article by talking about the recent cases of flu, using pathos and explaining that several children have died from the most recent outbreaks. Tanner then employs another rhetorical question: "Why would people whose job is to protect sick patients refuse a flu shot?" She then provides some explanations, such as allergies, religion, or simply skepticism.  Some other people with medical professions express that it should be a "personal decision" and the choice is an "individual right."  However, Tanner then includes a quotation from a medical ethicist who says that if these people want to work in health professions, they should receive the shot in order to protect themselves and the patients since some flu outbreaks can be extremely dangerous depending on the conditions of the patients.  Tanner then uses logos and provides statistics and percentages of how many health care workers have received flu shots.  These numbers fall short of the recommended numbers that hospitals would like.  Tanner then proceeds to discuss the legal aspect of the issue, including the fact that some states have a law for health care workers to receive the shot, but few states actually penalize those who do not.  She also includes examples of court cases involving the vaccine.  By combining logos and pathos, the journalist establishes both sides to the argument and presents the pros and cons and contrasting opinions of these health care workers when it comes down to whether or not they will be required to receive the vaccination if they want to keep their jobs in the future.



Link to article: http://vitals.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/01/13/16492631-hospitals-crack-down-on-workers-who-refuse-flu-shots?lite&ocid=msnhp&pos=6