Graduate Clearance Requirements for Clinical Placement/Practica

Students will not be permitted to register for any clinical practicum course including (Advanced Health Assessment) until all of the clearances and requirements listed below have been met.

Health Clearance

College of Nursing undergraduate and graduate students must have a health clearance. To determine clearance, a health assessment must be done either by a personal health care provider or at Rutgers University Health Services. The cost incurred is the responsibility of the student. It is generally less expensive to use University Health Services.

NOTE: The required immunization information and Immunization and Health Clearance Form must be completed and returned to the University after admission during the first semester of study at the College of Nursing. This form is in addition to those received from the University.

Health Clearance Requirements:

  • Health Assessment
  • Completion of the Immunization and Health Clearance Form documenting a health history and physical examination. This certificate determines medical clearance and must be completed once, immediately upon admission and during the first semester at the College of Nursing
  • Please read all forms carefully and submit all the information, which includes your Immunization/Immunity History

Nursing students must provide documentation of all of the following:

  • Immunity to measles, mumps and rubella (two doses or by a seropositive titer; if titer is negative, immunizations are required)
  • Hepatitis B three dose series or a seropositive titer*
  • Tetanus booster within the last 10 years
  • Proof of immunity to varicella (chickenpox) by a seropositive blood titer. If the titer is negative, immunizations are required*
  • Proof of meningitis (Menumune) immunization is required for all new first year and transfer undergraduates living in University housing
  • Tuberculosis Screening (A mantoux tuberculin skin test within the last year is required. If you have not had a tuberculin skin test within the past year you will be required to complete a 2-step mantoux test. If you test negatively, you will need to be retested annually. If you test positively, a chest x-ray must be performed and, if necessary, that must be followed by therapy. The results of mantoux testing and chest x-ray must be recorded on the immunization form)

NOTE: *If the hepatitis series of immunizations is needed, the process takes seven months to complete. If the varicella immunizations are needed, the series takes 30 to 45 days to complete.

FOR YOUR REFERENCE

  • Keep a copy of all completed forms as these may be needed in the future when you begin your clinical (hospital) experiences. Once the data is put into the computer, the forms will be shredded and will not be retrievable
  • Never have your records sent from your health care provider's office to the Immunization Program. Have them sent to you first - Make sure to keep a copy. Only the College of Nursing Immunization and Health Clearance Form should be sent to the University
  • If you are tested annually for tuberculosis, by your private health care provider, please provide the results of the mantoux test to the Imuunization Center asap

Return all forms to:
Immunization Program
57 US Highway #1
New Brunswick, NJ 08901-1180

If you have any questions, please call the Office of Student Services at 973-353-1928. If you choose not to use your own health care provider, you have the option to use the University Health Services. However, this cannot be done until classes begin in the Fall. If you choose this option, please make an appointment at any one of these locations for your health assessment:

Newark
Newark Health Center
Blumenthal Hall
249 University Avenue
973/353-5231, ext. 2

New Brunswick
Hurtado Health Center
11 Bishop Place
College Avenue Campus
732/932-7402

Camden
Camden Health Center
326 Penn Street
856/225-6005

Criminal Background Check

Clinical agencies mandate criminal history background checks for all individuals engaged in patient care and all students must undergo criminal background checks prior to beginning clinical courses. Information about the process will be sent to the students from the Office of Student Services. These checks are conducted by an external vendor and the information is sent to the College of Nursing. The cost of these checks is the student's responsibility. If a reference should occur on a student's report, the student will be contacted by the associate dean for student services.  Please note that clinical agency personnel will evaluate the information and, in their sole discretion, make the final determination as to each student's ability to engage in patient care in their agency.

In addition, the New Jersey Board of Nursing requires a criminal background check to obtain licensure as a registered nurse. Past criminal history may have an impact upon the ability to obtain licensure and employment as a registered nurse.

To obtain your criminal background check*:

  • Go to adamsafeguard.com
  • Click on college payment link and locate our school name - Rutgers College of Nursing
  • Fill out order form completely and submit.

Drug Screening

As a result of the new Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations requirement, all clinical students are required to have a negative Panel 10 urine drug screen on file prior to beginning clinical course work. Refusal to comply will prevent students from attending clinicals and will prevent students from completing the course/program.

The drug screening is to be conducted through adamsafeguard.com. If a background check was already completed, the urine drug screen can be ordered separately. If you have not completed your background check you can order both the criminal background check and urine drug screening at the same time.

HIPAA Training

Students in our academic program will receive HIPAA training. All students must complete the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) compliance module. Students must provide documentation of HIPAA training prior to beginning a clinical/practicum course. Training can also be acquired through a certificate/letter received at a place of employment and presented to the Office of Student Services.

CPR Certification

Certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) with external defibrillation at the health care provider level is required prior to beginning the clinical experience. Thereafter, yearly recertification is required. A letter from the instructor indicating a "pass" or a current CPR card is valid proof of status. Only CPR certification from the American Heart Association will be accepted.

Professional Liability Insurance

Although students in the College of Nursing are covered for professional liability by Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, the New Jersey Board of Nursing and the College of Nursing now require additional insurance coverage. Each graduate nursing student must purchase individual liability insurance with a minimum coverage of $1 million per single occurrence and $6 million aggregate. This insurance can be purchased from any vendor of choice such as Nurse Service Organization (NSO). It will be the student's responsibility to maintain the liability insurance yearly throughout their tenure at the College. Only a copy of the liability insurance face sheet is to be submitted yearly to the Office for Student Affairs. All graduate students are required to have professional liability insurance and student nurse practitioner professional liability insurance before they begin clinical work.

Dress Code

Students are expected to dress appropriately and behave in a professional manner at all times in keeping with the standards set forth by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). School insignia and/or student identification badges should be worn which include the student's name, designation as a graduate student, and the name of the university: Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. Students should also wear a laboratory coat over appropriate street clothes. The clinical site may, however, specify the dress code. Students should also report each day to the clinical setting with their own stethoscope. Additional equipment and supplies should be negotiated with the clinical agency.

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