November 19,  2009

Here is a good example of the use of music at disposal of science.

"You're a real tough virus with a long history
Infecting healthy lungs like the ones in me."

The lyrics of "Hit Me With the Flu Shot" don't stop there. Someone needs to make sure Ms. Benatar never sees this.

"Come on all of sudden
You don't fight fair
But that's okay
Because I'm aware"

The staff at Alvarado Hospital unveiled a music video Monday using Pat Benatar's "Hit Me with Your Best Shot" to teach employees and volunteers about the H1N1 vaccine.

"Knock me down it's all in vain
'Cause I got the shot for the new flu strain"

From nurses and doctors to housekeeping and security -- the entire project was written and produced internally. The lead singer, shown strolling throug hospital corridors accompanied by a guitarist, is the blood bank supervisor.

The idea came from Alvarado's H1N1 task force. They wanted to answer questions in a way that was fun and motivating for several thousand people working shifts around the clock.

"Yes it's serious but we wanted people to watch the film, to learn from the film," Darlene Wetton, Alvarado Hospital's COO. "And to get that audience looking at this film we had to make it fun. We had to make it about them."

The video stars "The Virals" (aka hospital administrators) and others "whose dignity took second to your need to know" as well as Kevin Kelly, M.D. who offers up intermittent mythbusters about the vaccine and the virus. Wetton herself has a cameo as the scared administrator attacked by the germs.

The hospital is hopeful the message behind the this dose of comedy will be contagious.

"So they're going to go home, talk to their family, talk to their friends at church and community about what happened at Alvarado and how important this is," Wetton said.

Despite its cheesy lyrics and silly costumes, the video does its job. You can't help but watch it. Click on the full video here or check it out on the running loop in the hospital cafeteria