Mandatory Flu Shot For UMC Employees

    
   "We are in constant contact with the public and with our patients and its always good to protect not only ourselves  from our patients and the protect the patients from us."

Ruann Godinez, a nurse at UMC, said she agrees with UMC's newest policy. But if she doesn't get her flu shot, there will be consequences.

"They will have to wear a mask when they come to work during peaks of the flu seasons. If we get the flu and don't know it we are spreading it to the 4--5 people we see everyday," said Godinez.

Godinez works closely with patients at UMC and said the new policy is not only to provide patients with more protection, but it will allow her as a nurse to do her job.

"It's important to us because one we don't want to be sick and leave the floor not well staffed then our patients aren't going to get adequate care when ever we are sick."

UMC is giving the flu shot to employees for free but Eric Finley said in the past, the majority of the workers didn't get vaccinated. But he said this year that's all changing.

"This year we have said that all employees must have the flu shot," said Finley.

He said this will be required for employees at all UMC locations.

"Even those of us that work of site im one of those were still in the hospital on a regular basis were still interacting with patients we may just pass by them in the hospital btu you know the flu can be passed very easily," said FInley.

He said they're just trying to take another step closer to providing the best care and environment for their patients.

"Patients have an expectation that when they come to the hospital they are going ot be in a safe environment for themselves and if we are not protecting ourselves and we don't get the flu shots ourselves and we pass on something like that to our patents then that hinders that so its really a duty we feel we have we owe the community at large as a health care leader," said Finley.