Immunization: What Is the Deal?
Despite the numerous debates concerning the issue of immunization, the given concern remains on the agenda of the present-day healthcare service. Indeed, the issue does seem incredibly tricky, with the clear guidelines stressing the necessity to provide the population with vaccination from a specific list of diseases, on the one hand, and the rapidly emerging arguments concerning the harmful effects and the lack of actual result of traditional immunization system, on the other hand. Since at present, the attitudes towards vaccination are highly negative among the general population of the USA, for a nursing specialist, it is important to promote awareness of the effects that the refusal to get vaccinated leads to, as well as create a campaign that will help people realize the threat that they put themselves into when refusing to get vaccinations.
History of Immunization
It should be mentioned that the U.S. has quite a short history of vaccination. Immunization was not considered a top priority up until 1905 when in the case of Jacobson vs. Massachusetts, compulsory vaccination was the court verdict. At the end of the XX century, however, major issues regarding compulsory vaccinations started to appear (Vaccinophobia and vaccine controversies of the XXI century, 2013).
Arguments Pro and Contra
When particular effects of vaccination are analyzed, a number of cases when vaccinations had a deplorable effect on the patients are often mentioned to prove a point. Indeed, a number of individual reactions of a particular organism on certain agents may remain undiscovered until a vaccination takes place. Unfortunately, it is practically impossible to predict the results of immunization with one hundred percent precision; however, there is a reasonable strategy that can help deal with the possible negative outcomes. To avoid such instances, it is desirable to be aware of one’s genetic portrait, i.e., the specifics of the immune system of not only one’s own organism but also of the closest relatives, starting from parents (Richards-Cortum, 2009).
The arguments in favor of vaccination are not quite numerous, either; however, they are just as much impressive as the ones against immunization. As it has been explained previously, it would be a mistake to consider most of the deadly diseases that vaccines prevent to be wiped out of the face of the Earth; instead, viruses switch to a dormant state, therefore, keeping their destructive capacities active and being ready to attack an unprotected organism. Since the threat of bringing such diseases as bubonic fever and many more is admittedly terrifying, it is clear that at present, resorting to optional vaccination depending on the immune system background and individual reactions seems the most reasonable way out of the situation. The fact that the U.S. has the safest record on vaccination is also often brought up when arguing for making immunization procedures compulsory (Teunissen, 2011).
That being said, the negative effects of vaccination are obvious. In case of individual intolerance to medication, vaccination can lead to serious consequences, including itches, edemas and even fatal outcomes. However, the positive effects of immunization still show clearly that the given procedure must be obligatory for anyone who does not have contra-indications or a reaction towards specific drugs. As it has been stressed, even though some of the diseases that vaccines protect people from are considered eradicated, once the premises for their appearance are created, they will reoccur. The negative outcomes that careless vaccination can lead to should be kept in mind as well, though; for instance, it is crucial that the individual reactions of patients should be recorded and revisited before vaccination. Once the necessary precaution measures are taken, it can be assumed that the immunization process should become safer – and, for that matter, more efficient.
Therefore, for a nurse, it is crucial that patients should be provided with an opportunity to learn about the perils that the refusal to be vaccinated creates. It is necessary that the parents should be aware of the individual reactions that their children have to specific agents, as well as be able to inform the nurse on the given reactions. In addition, parents must be provided with information about the diseases that their children can possibly contract if not vaccinated properly. Only being able to recognize the threat, parents will adopt a more responsible approach towards the immunization procedure.
Reference List
Richards-Cortum, R. (2009). Biomedical engineering for global health. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.
Teunissen, M. B. M. (2011).Intramedial immunization. Amsterdam, the Netherlands: Academic Medical Center.
Vaccinophobia and vaccine controversies of the XXI century (2013). Omaha, NE: Creighton University.