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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Flu vaccination, wrong one nearly given

54 replies

Darkbaptism · 03/12/2018 09:05

My son has a medical condition which entitles him to a flu vaccination. Due to medication he takes he must have the inactive injection not the live nasal spray.
I took him last week and the HCA administering the vaccination told DS she was going to squirt it up his nose. I stopped her and asked her if that was the correct vaccine, she then read his notes and agreed he needed the injection.

AIBU to expect his medical notes to specify he is not to have the live vaccine or the HCA to have asked some questions first to determine the correct vaccination?

OP posts:

Avegemitesandwich · 03/12/2018 10:17

I wouldn’t have had the conversation with him as it wouldn’t have crossed my mind that he would be offered the wrong immunisation.

Really? Have you not had any kind of conversation about the fact that your DS (who is the responsibility of both of you) has to have a different vaccine to the vast majority of other children because of his medical condition? You must have discussed the flu vaccine thing generally at some point to confirm that you both want him to have it or whatever?

Yes it's shit that they nearly gave him the wrong vaccine but I can't believe you would have sent your DS off to have a vaccine with someone who didn't know what that vaccine was supposed to be, especially given your sons medical issues.

Schuyler · 03/12/2018 10:21

If a parent is taking a child to a medical appointment, they need to know all the information. It’s not really acceptable for him to not know the finer details - this is his child’s health. That said, it’s very bad he was nearly given the wrong vaccination and I’d point this out to them to ensure it does not happen again in the future. YANBU on this point.

Magstermay · 03/12/2018 10:53

All the information should be on his medical records and in an ideal world the HCP should have known. However, the information may not be immediately obvious and people make mistakes.

As you’ve clearly realised now you should always make sure you make any HCP aware of specific issues like this. You should mention it at time of booking and when you go into the room - it shouldn’t get to the point she is about to put it up his nose before you let her know he needs a different vaccine to the norm. If someone else takes him to the doctors make sure they are aware of any issues too.

I agree in an ideal world it shouldn’t be the case but ultimately you are the advocate for your child.

Original poster

Darkbaptism · 03/12/2018 12:14

Avegemitesandwich DS is 10 (and my youngest) so not part of the childhood flu vaccination program, this is the first year he’s been offered it. I was told DS needs to have a flu vaccination both due to his medical condition and the medication he takes - wasn’t something DH and I really need to discuss to agree on it just needs to be done.

Magstermay. DS also has multiple special needs including ASD and ADHD, I’m used to being his advocate but clearly didn’t think ahead in this case.

OP posts:

PeachCokeZero · 03/12/2018 12:34

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Cheby · 03/12/2018 12:38

Please complain to the surgery. Not to kick anyone when they’re down or go in all guns blazing or whatever, but a formal complaint means they will have to formally review their procedures and ensure steps are taken to avoid this happening in the future.

Cheby · 03/12/2018 12:40

In the health service we are supposed to design out potential points of failure in pathways and procedures. Something went wrong here and they need to re-look at their processes, review where it went wrong and change the steps so it can’t happen again. There should be some sort of alert system on your DS’s notes.

JacquesHammer · 03/12/2018 12:41

Similar happened with us.

Fortunately DD is a little older and was able to state herself however the nurse still tried to pressure her into a nasal spray.

It made it seem very much like the nurse hadn't read DD's records before we went in.

Sirzy · 03/12/2018 12:43

It sounds like the error was actually at point of booking and he was booked into the wrong clinic.

RibbonAurora · 03/12/2018 12:43

But your DH didn't take him, you did. And the wrong vaccination wasn't actually given was it? I'm sorry but it seems you are looking to create a drama out of nothing at all. You alerted the HCP to your son's special circumstance and no harm was done. Agree with others that your husband should be as informed about your son's clinical needs as you are in case of an emergency when you are not available if nothing else.

oldsewandsew · 03/12/2018 12:44

As a nurse, I would say the HCA should not have been seeing your son. He should have seen either a nurse or a doctor, who would be responsible for ensuring he received the correct treatment. It would not hold up in court that “I gave the wrong treatment, but his mum didn’t tell me!”
I don’t think the HCA was to blame, but your son should have been flagged up as seeing somebody else, so I would ‘comment’ this to the surgery.

Original poster

Darkbaptism · 03/12/2018 13:01

RibbonAurora I’m honestly not creating a drama, I pointed out to the HCA that DS couldn’t have a live vaccine she asked why, apologised and booked an appointment with the nurse. I do however think that their computer system should have flagged this up so we wouldn’t have been in this position.

OP posts:

lalalalyra · 03/12/2018 13:13

I would expect a HCA to double check the notes in the case of a child who is clearly not part of the regular vaccination programme due to his age. That's what happens with my DD - it sticks out that she gets it for a reason and that's always checked when she goes in (she finds it amusing because the one who gives it sees her regularly and knows her, but still asks double check questions).

It should have been flagged up because a parent may not have known the child shouldn't be given the live one (or that the nasal one is the live one). Especially the first time the child had it.

PeachCokeZero · 03/12/2018 13:15

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

cptartapp · 03/12/2018 13:15

I'm a practice nurse, our HCA's don't vaccinate the children, just the adults under a PSD 'patient specific directive' signed by the GP to authorise them to do it. Even then, they have been trained to check for contraindications before giving.
I run through a checklist before administering vaccines, and certainly a live vaccine to a child that has not had one before. If your DS is in a clinical risk group for flu too, and is under 9 years Andy never had a flu vaccine before, he also needs a booster dose in no less than a month. Has this been booked? Your DH should have been aware of the risks and the HCA should have checked for them.

Atun · 03/12/2018 13:18

We have the same conversation every year with the nurses in our practice as my DD can't have the nasal spray also due to the medication she takes. Every year they are surprised, and we have to have the exact same conversation about why she has to have the injection!
Thankfully I am ok with reminding them, but I agree, there should be a much better system out there especially as there could be consequences of having the live vaccine.

YankeeDad · 03/12/2018 14:18

OP, I think you have done a public service by posting this, since not everyone may be aware of the usefulness of double-checking what health professionals are doing. Also, you might help someone else if you suitably notify your practice about happened.

In reference to criticism you received from some PPs, I don't think you have made any "drama" by posting this, nor have you been negligent in any way whatsoever.

Original poster

Darkbaptism · 03/12/2018 16:53

cptartapp the HCA did say something about a second dose but at that point DS was shouting that I was a liar as he didn’t have an injection 🙄.

peach I don’t feel negligent. None of the professionals looking after DS actually told me before hand that DS couldn’t have the live flu vaccine, it’s something I found out on Facebook groups relating to his condition. Even after I left the surgery I googled to find out if I was correct as I slightly doubted myself.

OP posts:

Original poster

Darkbaptism · 03/12/2018 16:56

Atun, I shall remind them next year when booking so we at least get seen by someone who can give the injection.

Thank you yankeedad.

OP posts:

GoodHeavensNoImAChicken · 03/12/2018 17:05

I wouldn’t expect a HCA to know that, no. That could easily be missed. If they get a child in to give a flu vaccine it would not be unreasonable for her to have given the usual nasal spray. They’re HCAs, not doctors. They’re brilliant and so good at their job but they are not mind readers with information like that.

I can 100% see where you’re coming from, however, and it would’ve been a terrible mistake to make. You need to be alert for mistakes like this unfortunately. Your son is lucky you’re on the ball

PeachCokeZero · 03/12/2018 17:16

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

cptartapp · 03/12/2018 19:45

Good it's nothing to do with being a mind reader. As a health care professional charged with administering medication you are accountable for your practice and absolutely should have had the training to check for contraindications beforehand. These should not be 'easily missed' when giving fluenz. There are plenty of reasons it can't be given, not one or two and it would have been completely unreasonable, even negligent to have given it in error. Something has gone badly wrong there with policies and procedures and the practice manager needs informing.

fivedogstofeed · 03/12/2018 20:13

I'm one of those parents who check they have the injectable vaccine when I book, and again when I check in.
DD is 11, so I've been doing this for a while....and I don't rely on anyone other than hospital specialists knowing anything about her condition.

dancinglikeastatue · 03/12/2018 20:24

Practice Nurse here. We'd do a whole investigation if it happened at our place. Mistakes do happened, it's how it's dealt with that matters. Even if no harm is done we can all learn from it.

The computer system highlights which vaccinations are recommended so it would suggest that your DSs records are not bang up to date. You say that you've done your own research on why DS needs an inactivated vaccine, have you discussed it with your GP or nurse?

If a vaccine is given off the normal schedule a Patient Specific Directive should've been completed.
Our HCAs done give any child imms.

Original poster

Darkbaptism · 03/12/2018 20:38

dancing thanks for your perspective. I have attached a picture of guidelines and have highlighted the parts relevant to my son - to be fair he only started taking MMF a couple of weeks ago but they are aware of the other two.

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