Yes, the needle prick into the deltoid smarts for a second. And no, you won't get a lollipop. (Candy was axed from the budget.) But, as the Miller School's executive leadership learned last week, getting a flu shot is relatively painless and quick, cheerfully and efficiently administered for free at various locales around campus by nurses like Evril Antoine, R.N.
As Dean Pascal J. Goldschmidt, M.D., told Antoine after shedding his lab coat, rolling up his sleeve and baring his arm, "I don't even feel it. You're really, really good."
With the largest order ever of the influenza vaccine in hand, the 2010-11 influenza vaccination campaign officially started September 16, and Dean Goldschmidt and Rafael Campo, M.D., professor of clinical medicine and medical director of employee health for the University of Miami Health System, are counting on even greater participation than last year, when nearly 7,000 doses of the seasonal and H1N1 vaccine were administered at employee health offices.
After all, as Campo notes, the University has an institutional culture that expects its employees, particularly health care workers and students who have direct patient contact, to undergo vaccination.
"Remember, influenza vaccination protects not only the vaccine recipients but also family members and, in the case of vaccinated health care workers, their patients,'' Campo said. "In fact, studies have shown that vaccinating health care workers decreases the mortality of their patients; therefore, vaccinating health care workers is a patient safety issue in line with UHealth's philosophy of placing the patient first and foremost.''
Unlike last year, employees and students will receive only one shot for protection against three different strains of influenza, including the pandemic strain of H1N1.
No appointments are necessary during vaccination hours. The shots are available at employee health offices on the medical campus at the following locations and times:
- Dominion Towers, suite 405, (305-243-8743) 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- University of Miami Hospital, suite 502, West Building, (305-689-5891) 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Hope Lodge, (305-243-4201) 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Vaccines also will be administered at employee health fairs during open enrollment for health insurance, which begins next week.
And, for the record, even though Marc Lippman, M.D., professor and chairman of medicine, didn't get the lollipop or the battleship Band-Aid he requested, he was quite satisfied with the Snoopy bandage now sprouting on deltoids all over campus.
"Snoopy? That was worth it,'' Dr. Lippman joked, inspecting the small, green circle.
