The client, a 70-year-old woman who has mild congestive heart failure, asks when she should get a flu shot. What is the nurse's best response?

Question

A. "If you got a flu shot last year, you need to make sure that you get the new shot exactly 1 year later."
B. "You should get a flu shot early in the fall so that you make enough antibodies before the flu season arrives."
C. "Since we don't know if the flu will come this year, you should wait until an out-break of flu in our area is reported."
D. "Because flu shots are good for five years at a time, if you got a flu shot last year you do not need to get another one this year."

Answer 1

B
People over age 50 and those with chronic disease should be vaccinated against the flu each year early in the fall. The major flu season is late fall and winter. It takes 3 to 8 weeks to develop enough antibodies from the flu shot to be able to protect against the flu after exposure. If a client waits until the flu season hits to get the flu shot, he or she may be exposed to the flu before suffi-cient antibodies have been developed. Flu shots appear to be effective for only one flu season, depending on the specific virus causing the flu each year.