Required Immunizations and Medical Evaluation
Assessment of Current Health Status
Assessment of your health status via a physical examination is to be performed by a healthcare professional (no older than six months prior to enrollment) and documented by your healthcare provider. A fitness exam is not required for the nursing programs. The healthcare provider must be able to document that no health conditions (including previous physical injuries) are present that will create any type of limitation in the ability to provide health care and have the capability of meeting the program's physical requirements.
Immunizations
It is required that you get the following immunizations prior to entry into the Nursing Program:
- Hepatitis B series, titer required.
- MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella).
- Varicella (chickenpox).
- Tdap (tentanus, diphtheria, pertussis).
- Influenza for the current season (must be updated each fall as vaccination becomes available).
- Tuberculosis Screening: All students must complete the 2-Step Process. This process requires an initial Tb screening test and if negative, followed by another Tb screening 1 - 3 weeks later.
All students with a past positive PPD must complete the TB Screening Clearance Questionnaire upon entry into a Health Science Program and annually thereafter while enrolled.
The 2-Step TB Test Process and Timeline Explained: 2-step TB Tests: Timeline of how your visits to you physicians will go:- First Visit: Get the TB shot (make sure you get documentation for this – date and signature)
- Second Visit: Two days after visit #1 you go back to get the TB Test Reading (results) – this should be given in millimeters (mm), which will determine whether the test is positive or negative.
- Third Visit: No sooner than one week after visit #1 (1st TB shot), no later than two weeks after visit #1. You will get the whole process done over again. This visit you get your 2nd TB shot.
- Fourth (Final) Visit: Two days after visit #3 you will get the 2nd TB shot reading. Again, you need documentation stating the results in millimeters (mm) and whether the result is positive or negative.
Note of Caution: Don’t make the mistake of thinking that because a normal TB Test has 2 components (TB shot and TB reading) that it will fulfill the 2-Step TB Test requirement. You must actually have 2 separate TB Tests