Health, Clinical and Program Continuation Requirements for the Nursing Program

As a part of contractual agreements with clinical agencies, all nursing students must provide evidence of an acceptable criminal background history, a negative drug screen, immunizations, and health clearances. Students who do not have the required documentation may not be accepted at the clinical site, resulting in failure and potential dismissal from the program. All requirements must remain current throughout the program. It is important to note that contracted clinical agency agreements are not negotiable in their requirements.

Students are required to provide documentation and be cleared for placement no later than 21 days prior to the start of the term in which clinical rotations occur. No student will be permitted to enter a clinical site without having satisfied the requirement for immunization and health clearance documentation. The inability to complete program requirements may result in failure or dismissal. All students are required to sign the Medical Clearance Acknowledgement Form regarding health and immunization requirements. The acknowledgement will become part of the permanent record and stored in the student file.

Admissions staff will provide all new nursing students with information regarding the immunization requirements for participating in the nursing program. Students may choose to obtain immunizations from any healthcare provider.

Students are responsible for all costs of program immunizations and medical clearances required for admission and continuation within the nursing program as well as costs that may be associated with injury or illness while on campus, in the learning laboratories, at a clinical experience, or while performing other campus/program related activities during enrollment in the nursing program.

In addition to the requirements outlined in the Admissions Information section of this Catalog, students may need to provide additional documentation as required by the clinical site.

1. Cleared Background Check
   The applicant must pass a criminal background check upon enrollment consisting of federal, state and specialty agencies per school policy, State Board of Nursing rules and regulations, various accrediting body requirements, and the terms of the clinical affiliation agreements. Students must maintain a clear criminal background while enrolled in the nursing program.
    
2. Negative Drug Screen
   The applicant must pass a drug screen upon enrollment. There may be additional needs throughout the program based on clinical requirements.
    
3. Current BLS CPR Card
   Basic Life Support (BLS) for Healthcare Providers certification by the American Heart Association must remain current while the student is enrolled in the nursing program.
    
4. Student Health Requirements
   It is essential that nursing students be able to perform several physical and cognitive activities in the classroom, clinical, and laboratory portions of the program.
   
   Students are not allowed to enter any clinical facility with certain injuries or contagious conditions. A student must consult with the clinical instructor if an illness, medical condition, or injury is present prior to entering the clinical facility. The School or clinical agency reserves the right to request a medical release from a health care provider if a medical condition, illness, or injury may cause a potential safety risk to the student, patient, or others. Additional health care clearance documentation may be required. Any additional requirements will be at the student’s expense.
   
   Examples of medical issues include, but are not limited to: limitations required after surgery or accident, immuno-suppression, pregnancy, back injury, behavioral health, etc.
   
   Students may not enter or practice within a clinical area under the influence of a controlled substance or any medication which may impair judgment, alertness, or physical agility regardless of if prescribed by a healthcare provider. The clinical instructor and nursing program director will be the final deciding authority as to their perception if the student may practice safely within the clinical environment. The clinical agency may be consulted as well.
   
   Any changes in physical or mental health or any medication changes that may alter a student’s cognition must be reported immediately to the clinical instructor and Director of Nursing. All notifications must come at least 24 hours before entering the clinical area.
   
   Students must submit the approved physical and health clearance forms to the School prior to the designated deadline.
   
   NOTE: Students with medical and/or mental health conditions which may place the student or patients’ safety at risk may not be eligible for admission or continuation in the nursing program. Risk assessment is at the discretion of the Director of Nursing in consultation with the Vice President of Nursing.
    
5. Health Insurance
   Many clinical sites require students to have health insurance to participate in clinical experiences. It is strongly recommended that students always maintain a health insurance policy to help cover the immunization and health costs required for the nursing program and to cover any injury or illness during the program. Choosing to not maintain a policy could exclude students from clinical, resulting in course failure and potential dismissal.
    
6. Physical Examination
   Nursing students must be able to perform several physical and cognitive activities in the classroom, clinicals, simulation and lab. All applicants must submit a current physical exam, less than 365 days old at the time of enrollment, signed by a valid healthcare practitioner demonstrating that they are free from any communicable disease or health impairment that could be a potential risk to patients or impede their ability to perform regular clinical duties. All exams must be performed in person. Tele-health exams are not accepted.  
    
7. Immunizations
   Immunization requirements are based on the current recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) for health-care workers and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). Clinical agencies may have additional health clearance and immunization requirements beyond the current recommendations outlined by the CDC, ACIP, or school policy. The standardized immunization policy reserves the right to require additional healthcare clearance assessments, documentation, immunization, and serology testing at any point throughout enrollment of the nursing program. In addition, immunizations and health requirements may change without notice and students may be required to provide verifiable proof of their ability to meet new requirements. Failure to meet this requirement may result in failure to progress in the nursing program. Students are responsible for the cost of any additional requirements.  
   
   Students are required to submit documentation of complete immunization or serological evidence of immunity (titers) for the following infectious diseases.

No student shall be permitted to attend classes in excess of 30 days without submitting acceptable evidence of compliance with PHL Sections 2165 and 2167. By law, an institution is required to exclude students who are noncompliant. PHL Section 2165 provides for the grace period of 30 days, to be extended to 45 days when a student is from out-of-state or out-of-the-country or can show a good faith effort to comply with the requirements. PHL Section 2167 provides that the 30-day grace period may be extended to a total of 60 days if the student can show a good faith effort to comply with the requirement.