Nurses Providing Vaccines to Their Family and Friends

A controversy of preferential immunization has been making rounds. Public health nurses in Edmonton were found to provide vaccines to their family and friends, even at high demand from public. Vaccine for H1N1 was not given to people lined up outside the clinics. Inquiry which was conducted said nurses during shortage of the vaccine gave shots to their family and friends.Susan Smith, public health nurse, said in a period of shortage and high demand, she gave shots to 15 people. She did say that those people were most probably known people of the staff. When asked by inquiry counsel Ellen Embury, whether she found her work unfair, she supported her dealings.With shell-life of 24 hours, she said that she could not let this resource wasted. Even a recheck of the policy of public hospitals does not say anything about the rules for nurses. They have not been prohibited from vaccinating their family and no rule that speaks of the left over doses.

When asked why the dose was not provided to the people waiting outside, public health clinics said that the situation had become very perplexing. In that situation, closure of the clinic was thought to be the right decision. Ellen Embury, in response to these allegations, said they need proper investigation and cure.