I was at a doctor's appointment the other day.

[LuckyCharms]

The NURSE who was interviewing me just before the doctor came in casually blurted out:

"My husband and I are totally against vaccinations, but he's been a smoker for a long time, and he has COPD, so I made sure he got the pneumonia vax".

I just stared at her while everything that is wrong with her statement started flooding my brain, and then my eyes glazed over.

Also, why do these people feel the need to tell others that they are anti-vax?

I don't blurt out to random strangers that I'm pro-vax.

It just something I wouldn't say. Especially out of the blue like that.

The same way that I don't blurt out how progressive I am.

These people are all over the place, and unavoidable.

[Clouds Passing]

1. They have no verbal filters, eroded by years of being lied to.

[LuckyCharms]

2. It almost feels like they are trying to goad you into a reaction...

or an argument.

[llmart]

19. So true.

Also, I think they want to find out if you're on "their side".

[Clouds Passing]

42. They are.They are trying to prove to you and everyone around that they are smarter than you.

And they love to argue

[Ars Longa]

69. What I say to them is "I believe in Medical Science

and I go to Mayo clinic.com, and do what they say"...
"If you don't believe in Medical Science--OK, where exactly
DO you get your stuff?
Also, I ask "are all vaccines bad?"
Or just the ones you've been told to hate?
Is the Flu vaccine bad?
Pneumonia?... Shingles? Polio? We wiped out Polio long
ago, do you want that back?
We wiped out Measles 55 years ago, do you want that back?
Rubella? Whooping cough?

[calimary]

90. GOOD!!!

Hit ‘em back - verbally, of course.

Nothing like a few facts to fuck up a fact-hater.

[LuckyCharms]

4. Pardon?

[marble falls]

6. Those who clapped, had the clap. Do you applaud RW anti-vaxxers exercising their free though stupid and deadly speech?

[GP6971]

10. Where is it mentioned that people clapped?

[ShazzieB]

51. Unless I miss my guess, that was an antivaxx troll we've seen before (repeatedly).

I think they were implying that (in their catastrophically uninformed opinion), people should have clapped when that woman said she was against vaccines. Because (in their catastrophically uninformed opinion), that woman was right.

[GP6971]

58. Thanks!! Could have been...I'm leaning toward our pizza hound though.

[ShazzieB]

60. That's the same person I'm talking about.

We may have more than one antivaxx troll around here, but the one I'm thinking of definitely likes pizza!

[1WorldHope]

65. Ohhh, I thought it was sarcasm.

So, I didn't nix them while on the jury.

[Lulu KC]

75. I couldn't tell either

I thought they meant clap because the guy DID get the vax. I withdrew from jury on that one. Hard to tell sometimes what people mean.

[1WorldHope]

79. Thanks for saying that, I thought about withdrawing, but U didn't.

At least nobody will get pregnant😜

[the nelm]

85. That woman should be nowhere near a nursing license. n/t

[Cha]

67. Good Question.. TY.

[Niagara]

11. I'm sorry that it burns when you pee

[LuckyCharms]

27. .

[marble falls]

5. They're trying to moderate their positions so that they don't feel so out of step and yet still hang onto ...

... their core beliefs. They don't want to be a crazy extremist: they want to be seen as a moderate, hair only lightly smoldering extremist.

[travelingthrulife]

82. My home schooled fundie niece says she would give her kids the "important ones"

when speaking about vaccinations. I did not ask, no longer care. She has no idea about science.

[marble falls]

99. That may have worked OK back in the days when vax was almost a civic duty, there is a herd ...

... immunity, but when the vax rate falls low enough, the immunity disappears.

They'd never take their cars to a rank amateur. But they'd put their lives in the hands of anonymous internet "experts".

[CrispyQ]

101. And their children's lives, too, all to own the libs.

They love their guns more than their kids too, but repubs are the party of family values. Unbelievable.

[Mike 03]

7. Do you live in a red area by any chance? That's the kind of thing a nurse might say

where I live, and people are always trying to "reassure" each other that they are acceptable politically. Every one of the ones like this I've encountered are MAGA--they want to let us know they are "okay", so without knowing anything about us, I guess they assume we are MAGA too and just want us to know it? That's the only justification I've been able to think of regarding this kind of self-outing and false reassurance (or whatever weirdness it is). For example, I doubt this kind of embarrassing self-revealing occurs much in large liberal cities like Los Angeles or San Francisco. But I've seen this too and it is both embarrassing and hard to explain.



Thanks for posting this story, though. I find these encounters interesting.

[LuckyCharms]

17. Mike...red pocket of a very blue state.

[3catwoman3]

40. I am always amazed at the blanket statements some people are comfortable blurting out...

...without any idea of what the people they are pontificating to might think about the topic at hand.

I never, and I mean NEVER, assume anyone thinks the same way I do about ANYTHING unless I have a damn good indication that they do.

I find it rude and presumptuous to do otherwise.

[Liberal In Texas]

8. Yeah, I think I would ask the doc when he came in if he was anti-vax as well. If he/she is I would

say goodbye and find another doctor. Very dangerous going to doctors and other medical professionals who don't believe in science.

[LogDog75]

48. That's exactly what I would do

I'd tell the doctor what the nurse said and ask the doctor if that's his opinion as well. If so, after your visit, begin looking for a new doctor. If the doctor does not agree let the doctor know that the nurse is sending mixed signals as to what the doctor's medical practic recommends.

[ShazzieB]

71. I agree with this.

Furthermore, if he replies that he is firmly in favor of vaccines (which I would hope), I would ask him if he is aware that a member of his staff (hopefully you know her name) expressed antivaxx sentiments to you. Say that you don't want to get her in trouble, but thought he might want to know that someone on his staff is expressing such ideas to patients.

The reason I suggest this is that I think he might want to be informed. In his place, I think I would want to be made aware of something like this. What, if anything, to do about it would then be up to him. Hopefully he would at least tell her not to make comments like that to patients, but no matter what he does or doesn't do, it will be his choice, and imo, you should not worry about the outcome.

I realize some might consider this a step too far (and I am aware that my thoughts on this are being influenced by my own rather militant PRO vaccine stance). If it's not something you'd be comfortable doing, I understand. I am offering this as a suggestion of something that I think would be appropriate, IF you are so inclined.

[MorbidButterflyTat]

72. Agree

I would let the doctor know what the nurse is peddling to patients, and ask if this opinion is policy. Crazy.

[underpants]

9. It's a belief system like a religion to them. They have to spread the gospel.

Like people who want to make sure you know they are a vegan.

INCOMING!!!

[Demovictory9]

74. awwww... I'm eating a vegan meal right now. wasn't gonna tell anyone

[GP6971]

20. Hi!!

[LuckyCharms]

21. Red pocket of a blue state. Welcome to DU!

[LuckyCharms]

24. New York. n/t

[GP6971]

26. How so?

[marble falls]

30. Inquiring minds want to know!

[LuckyCharms]

34. Haven't quite figured you out yet.

Keep going...

[bluestarone]

41. I did. DISREGARD this person

No help.

[marble falls]

35. Actually, no. What are you saying?

[GP6971]

37. I think you'd like it there...almost everyone

there is vaccinated.

[LuckyCharms]

39. Here you go!

[GP6971]

88. Hi Sunshine!

[marble falls]

43. Just so long as they have a good library.

[Scrivener7]

53. There's always a lot of fishing for people's locations with Library Girl. It's very creepy.

[marble falls]

54. The whole LG thing is creepy. All the tells are creepy. The agendas are creepy.

[markpkessinger]

13. I think I would have spoken to the doctor . . .

. . . about his nurse's unprofessional behavior!

[Niagara]

14. Medical professionals should be professional at all times

I would assume that nurses need certain vaccine requirements to be in the medical field to be around patients?


It's distressing that vaccines were changed from a medical issue to a political one.


I hope this isn't your primary office, Lucky.

[LuckyCharms]

16. It was the eye doctor, Niagara.

I was too slow-witted that day, and dumbfounded, to respond!

Also, my primary care has made comments that are Trump-adjacent.

Very discouraging!

[GP6971]

22. Can you recommend any good movers?

[FSogol]

62. Either Pizza Movers or a company called M.I. Relocation Trends. They do great work!

[GP6971]

64. LOL!!

[marble falls]

31. Or other social sites?

[buzzycrumbhunger]

77. I was shocked...

… at how many nurses in the hospital we (pharmacy) serve were demanding scripts for crap like ivermectin, even after Covid peaked. They refused to be vaccinated but thought horse dewormer made sense at a time when they were contemplating converting a floor or two of one of our parking garages into overflow Covid wards? And many are still working there!

I wondered if they were keeping their moronic ideas to themselves or passing them on to patients—many who died. How do you even keep your job with such a poor understanding of medicine?

[Niagara]

78. Propaganda works for those to are willing to listen to it and not fact check the propaganda

I've always been a Democratic voter but I only participated in general presidential elections.

Around 2007 when a man I never heard of named Barack Obama announced his bid for presidency, I had no idea who this man was. I didn't discover DU until about 2010.

I had family member (who was Democratic at one time) that would sent me anti-Obama emails. I would go and debunk these emails and I would send emails back stating that this and that wasn't correct information that they were sending me. I would send back the links of the correct information.

The entire intention of them sending me this propaganda was to get me to despise a man and to get me not to vote or to vote against him and my own interest.

The more anti-Obama emails that were sent my way, the more I would look up the information and discover none of this anti-Obama talking points were true. The more I researched Barack Obama the more I liked the man.

What my family member was attempting to do had the opposite result with me and totally backfired for them. I became more serious about discovering the truth, fighting smears and and being more involved with all elections.

So if the nurses are subjected to emails and any type of social media propaganda, they're going to fall for the lies of propaganda.

I remember the people who were pushing ivermectin for the "cure for Covid". I remember everyone on social media became a Covid virus expert overnight and they had no clue what they were talking about. It was some crazy times and I really hope that we never have to go through that again.

I don't remember ever welcoming you to DU, so I'm taking this opportunity to welcome you home, buzzycrumbhunger!

[buzzycrumbhunger]

80. Thanks!

I’ve actually been here for ages (2008?) but had a big gap in between computers.

[Niagara]

102. You're welcome, buzzycrumbhunger

It happens.

It also happens that I don't always check profiles!

[FSogol]

15. Deep down they know they are wrong, but wish for others to validate their incorrect opinions.

Last edited Wed May 7, 2025, 03:16 PM - Edit history (1)

Just say, "well, you can't fix stupid."

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

28. Smoker. Anti-vaccer.

There's something not quite right here. I wonder what it is?

[LuckyCharms]

29. Me too.

[maxsolomon]

49. You forgot hypocrite.

Against vaccines, but will get one if it's important? Hypocrite.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

68. lI would say the hypocrisy is not believing

what they were taught in nursing school. Maybe ask her to explain what in her training led her to thinking smoking is just fine, but vaccines are not? People really need to be pinned down about factual stuff.

[DENVERPOPS]

32. It would seem

that the MAGAots have infiltrated every single group, why not Doctors??????? They also prosper from Trump and Republican's massive tax cuts as much as the UBER wealthy.......

They, just like their entire group, are part of the "Enemy Within" that is destroying our people's lives and futures....

[Martin68]

36. Bizarre under any circumstances, but particularly so with a nurse in a professional setting. I would have made a

complaint to the management.

[aggiesal]

38. Can I have a different nurse please? ...

Would have been the first words out of my mouth.
If our medical industry workers are Anti-Vac, what does that tell you about the next generation?
If anyone should be Pro-Vac, it should be the medical industry workers.

Sure you can give me my vaccination, can I have some measles & a side of polio with that?

[mgardener]

44. Not a very smart nurse

Neither is the husband. Smoking, but against vaccines?
Really.
Covid would kick his ass too.
So would whooping cough.
So would the flu.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

56. I was never a smoker but have COPD

I had to get chest x-rays to confirm diagnosis. COPD and COVID are not a good combination. This guy needs to be vaccination against COVID as well as RSV.

[misanthrope]

45. There are plenty of them in the medical world, apparently

https://kevinblee.substack.com/p/my-saviors-turned-assassins

One nurse went on a tangent about her love of travel. Like most frequent flyers, she doesn’t like its hassles. Irritation with the Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) was apparently utmost on that list.

“I’m hoping this new administration will get rid of TSA,” she said just days after Trump’s 2025 inauguration.

I didn’t request elaboration because I didn’t want to invite political discussion. When I voiced my own irritation with airport hassles, it was basically about my hampered mobility. I didn’t relish the standard TSA checkpoints either, but I don’t want it eradicated. I simply want it as effective and efficient as possible.

Later she mentioned her affinity for homeopathy and aversion to vaccines. It didn’t help my confidence.

[Warpy]

46. I've met a few stupid nurses but very few

The few stupid nurses I've met were stupid because belief got in the way of reality. They do exist, but most people will never meet one.

That "nurse" was most likely a medical assistant. Very few docs hire RNs or LPNs to take vitals, it's just not cost effective. If it's the kind of office where infusions are given and need to be monitored, that's different, but those docs are highly specialized.

Don't let the uniform fool you, office nurses went out of style decades ago.

[ShazzieB]

47. It blows my mind when health care professionals are antivaxx.

It took me totally by surprise when I first started to hear about nurses, etc., refusing to get the covid vaccination back in 2021. I never would have expected that, but it seemed there were a lot of them at the time.

I don't get it at all. I've been a big fan of vaccines all my life, and for a long time, I thought only people who avoid health care altogether (like Christian Scientists) avoided them. Later on, I became aware of people who were buying into the (now debunked) rumors about vaccines and autism, but actual trained health care workers? Surely not. Guess again!

Covid was a real eye opener for me about this but I am still as mystified by it as I was 4 years ago. It makes me wonder what's lacking in the training these people are given, especially when it comes to nurses.

[maxsolomon]

50. Are you sure she was an RN?

The gals that take my vitals and such aren't nurses. "Medical Assistant", I believe.

Not that RNs can't be stupid...

[ihaveaquestion]

55. My MIL is an RN (retired now) and also voted for Trump 3 times

She also recently told my husband that vaccines are poison or something to that effect.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

52. We have a major measles outbreak due to anti-vaxxers

[AverageOldGuy]

57. You are too kind

I would have told if she is anti vax then she has no business in nursing then I would ave told the doc that I’m changing docs and tell him why.

We cannot continue to give these assholes a free pass. Stomp them out .

[littlemissmartypants]

59. First...

Pressured speech is a symptom of Bipolar Disorder (fun fact) and second, it helps to know the enemy. Particularly when they are so dumb that they reveal their position. You now have a strategic advantage for next time. 😉

❤️

[TommieMommy]

63. So true. I don't tell people I get vaccinated and who I voted for. 🙄

[Maraya1969]

66. I would tell the doctor. He may not know she is giving false medical advise.

[Rebl2]

70. I would

have got up and walked out or reported her to the office manager right then and there.

[Skittles]

73. anti-vaxxers should not be in the medical field

actually, their lack of intellect should limit them elsewhere, too

[Meowmee]

76. Anti vax people should NOT BE HIRED OR TRAINED TO BE IN THE MEDICAL PROFESSION

Period. Lots of them in it though and they will kill you with that or with incompetence. During the covid pandemic in our county 30% of hospital workers refused vaccination. They should have been fired.

*Welcome back LC 😁 I hope you are ok. If I were you, I would complain to your doctor that ignorant anti vaxers are working there and are telling you they are anti vax, which is probably some sort of a violation etc.

[Ray Bruns]

81. There are only two kinds of people and I try to avoid both of them.

[travelingthrulife]

83. You should probably let that doctor know what she is saying to his patients.

If the doctor agrees with her, get a new doctor ASAP.

[58Sunliner]

84. Hubby has COPD and smokes. Says everything. Ask if the smoking is a problem, lol.

See how deep the rabbit hole is.

[Lem1951]

86. Consequences

6 months after the Covid vaccine was available, I had a medical assistant die of Covid because she refused to be vaccinated!!

[ForgedCrank]

89. My personal opinion

is that there is a scale to be applied to vaccines and medicines in general. I do think we over-use drugs in some cases.
For example, I've avoided annual flu shots most of my life. Odds were that being young and healthy, there was little risk to me (oter than getting sick for a couple of days), and actually catching an occasional virus strengthens your overall immune system. So I just stay home and isolate myself when I get sick. Of course this changes as you get older, the risk increases, and now I get the shots as a result. I feel the same way about antibiotics. I resist taking them unless there is a high risk involved, we should all avoid them when appropriate for solid scientific reasons.
But to be antivaccination as a rule is just the result of someone who has been mislead. They believed something because they wanted to, and they are basing their position on gossip and rumor, crap they read on forums or facebook. That is not a valid foundation on which to form philosophy.
I'll also go so far as to say that politicizing public health issues is one of the most dastardly things I've ever witnessed in my life.

[yardwork]

93. You're mixing a few different things together.

It's wise to be cautious about overuse of antibiotics, as every informed health provider knows. No question or disagreement about that.

However, skipping vaccines doesn't help you or your immune system. Having the flu can be life-threatening, even for young and healthy people. And having the flu does not strengthen your immune system. It's just the opposite. Catching the flu or any other virus (measles, COVID, chicken pox, etc.) puts your body at risk for other health issues.

Viruses are sneaky and unpredictable little things. I'm glad you're getting your flu shots now!

Also, I agree 100% that it's a crime that Republicans politicized public health. They did it on purpose as part of their authoritarian goal.

[live love laugh]

91. Typical MAGAT pretzel 🥨 logic...

[yardwork]

92. Any chance of switching doctors?

I can't imagine a nurse telling patients that she's antivax. It calls into question everything about this medical practice.

[LuckyCharms]

94. Probably not...

it's at the office of the best eye surgeon in the region.

Now, I also have a woman primary care provider who made her anti-abortion views known to me.

When I countered with "how do you feel about women not being able to get life saving care because of a problematic pregnancy"...

She responded with..."don't let those stories scare you, that doesn't happen".

Yep, they're everywhere, and they let you know they're everywhere too.

[yardwork]

95. I understand about the eye surgeon. Gotta keep a good specialist.

However, I'd ditch the primary care provider who doesn't seem to know anything about primary care, if you possibly can.

[LuckyCharms]

96. The thing is...

she has saved my butt a few times. She's very good at what she does. She will phone me at all hours to see how I am if I am having an acute issue.

I've been seeing her for decades, so we have become friendly with each other.

So she has started personally opening up to me the past year or two.

She is very "religious". And her views shocked me.

The abortion issue is just the tip of the iceberg.

So I'm wrestling with whether to switch or not.

[yardwork]

98. Oh darn! I understand.

In rural areas it's very hard to find good providers. If she's done a good job treating you for years I'd keep her, but stay vigilant.

What a sad situation all around. How did the country get in this pickle.

[Brainfodder]

97. TOTALLY stupid.

No more words required.

[oasis]

100. I'd give 'em the "you're a moron, I get it" eye roll.

I would not have to say a word.