At the University of Alaska’s School of Nursing, student nurses will be required to
meet our clinical health requirements to protect their own health and the health of
the patients with whom they work. This section covers the initial clinical program
requirements as well as the requirements for continuing students. Without meeting
these standards, student nurses are not permitted into the clinical setting and are
unable to complete their studies. The School of Nursing develops and maintains these
clinical requirements based on current recommendations from the Centers for Disease
Control and the State of Alaska Division of Public Health. Additional requirements
may be necessary for specific clinical locations, based on their agreement with the
School of Nursing.
Initial and continuing student requirements apply to all of the nursing degree programs
and must be completed by the deadline prior to the coming semester of clinical contact
with patients. Continuing students will receive notification of requirements coming
due 4-6 weeks prior to the deadline.
Below you will find a list of all student clinical requirements; by clicking the links
you will find detailed explanations as well as forms and resources to help you complete
the required steps. All documents listed below can also be found on the FORMS page.
Health Requirements: A healthcare provider must sign or stamp EACH BOX of the
Health Check Sheet to verify the information contained there. In lieu of the Health Check Sheet, please
submit official documentation of each requirement. These services are also available
at the
Student Health and Counseling Center.
- Flu Shot (annual)
Documentation of an annual flu shot is required when the vaccine becomes available
in the Fall (usually September – October). This requirement must be completed every
year as soon as it is available.
- Hepatitis B policy (one-time)
If your Hepatitis B titer is negative after completing the three-shot immunization
series, a second three-shot series, followed by another titer is required. If the
second titer is also negative, you will be declared a “non-responder” and no further
doses or titers will be required. The second shot may be given 4-6 weeks after the
first; the third shot may be given six months after the first. The titer must be drawn
30-35 days after the third shot. As long as the student is diligent in pursuing Hepatitis
B immunity in a timely manner, having a negative titer will not bar a student from
clinical contact with patients. This requirement must only be completed once at the start of the program.
- HIV Test (one-time)
Documentation of having had an HIV test—done within 6 months before starting program (results
are not required and should not be turned in). This requirement must only be completed
once prior to clinical contact with patients.
- Immunity to Chicken Pox (Varicella Zoster) (one-time)
Immunity must be demonstrated by TITER OR documentation of the varicella two-shot
immunization series (the second shot may be administered 4-8 weeks after the first. This
requirement must only be completed once prior to clinical contact with patients.
- Immunization against TDaP/TD (every ten years)
Proof of one dose of TDaP (Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis) as an adult, followed by
Td booster every 10 years thereafter. Note: DTP is the pediatric dose and does not
meet the requirement. This requirement must remain current throughout the entire coming
semester of clinical contact with patients.
- Rubeola, Rubella, and Mumps (one-time)
Immunity must be demonstrated by TITER OR documentation of the MMR (Measles, Mumps, and Rubella) two-shot immunization series.
If titers are equivocal, get one MMR booster; if negative, get two MMR shots (separated
by four weeks) and a second titer is not needed. This requirement must only be completed
once prior to clinical contact with patients.
- Tuberculosis 2-step PPD Test (annual)
Documentation of freedom from active Tuberculosis, demonstrated by initial negative
2-step PPD Test (Purified Protein Derivative) followed by ANNUAL PPD tests. Please
see the 2-Step PPD Information Sheet below. In lieu of a 2-step PPD, the School of
Nursing will accept a negative IGRA (Interferon-Gamma Release Assay) test, i.e. the
Quantiferon Gold TB Test. If TB testing is positive, you must submit the date and
result of the positive test (provider verification of verbal history is acceptable).
Proof of recent (within 1 year) negative chest x-ray is required unless official dates
of prophylactic treatment are submitted. Provider verification of dates of treatment
is acceptable. This requirement must remain current throughout the entire coming semester
of clinical contact with patients. PPD tests, IGRA tests, and TB Health Screenings
completed by a healthcare provider expire one year from the date of the test or screening.
Clinical Background Check (every five years): This requirement must be completed through
the Alaska Background Check Unit within Alaska’s Division of Health and Social Services.
Its necessity is based on mandates in Federal law and in hospital accreditation criteria
designed to protect patients, particularly elders and minors. Students who have a
Barrier Crime on their background check will not be allowed to enter the program.
First, upload the Release of Information Form to the Compliance Assistant through
the SON Health Requirements and Compliance Blackboard Shell. For new students, it
may take some time for you to be added to the shell. If no current background check
is on file, the Compliance Assistant will advise of further instructions. The Release
of Information Sheet, the Applicant Initiated Guide, and a list of Fingerprinting
Sites are linked below.
This requirement must remain current throughout the entire coming semester of clinical
contact with patients. Background Check eligibility expires 5 years after the initial
date of application.
The AK State background check moved to a different building. Submit the fingerprints
and payment to:
State of Alaska
Department of Health & Social Welfare
Division of Health Care Services
Background Check Unit
4501 Business Park Boulevard
Building L
Anchorage, AK 99503
(just south of Tudor and C Street)
CPR Certification (biennial): Must include Infant, Child, and Adult CPR, one-person
and two-person rescue, and AED. Regardless of your level in the nursing program, you
need to be able to provide CPR to all three age groups (both before and after your
course in pediatric nursing). Take the American Heart Association Basic Life Support
for the Healthcare Provider (BLS) or the American Red Cross Professional Rescuer and
Healthcare Provider courses or more advanced courses. Heart Saver and Community courses
are not acceptable for meeting this requirement. 100% online courses will not meet
the requirement without a hands-on skills check. This requirement must remain current
throughout the entire coming semester of clinical contact with patients.
The School of Nursing is transitioning from its existing databases to the use of Typhon,
an interactive tool that allows students to view their clinical requirements in a
secure online environment and upload documents for staff to review and approve. Currently,
the program is in use for graduate students only.
This section covers questions and concerns that often come up relating to clinical
health requirements. Please check to see if your question is covered before contacting
the Compliance Assistant.
- Can I have an extension for my clinical requirements?
Students may request an extension for clinical requirements by filling out the Request
for Extension form, linked below. The request must be submitted to the Compliance
Assistant and approved by the Department Chair. Requests will not be granted for students
who do not expire until later in the semester and want to maximize their time between
tests or immunizations. Even if an extension is granted, all requirements must be
complete by the start of classes.
- I have had all three Hepatitis B shots. Why do I need a titer?
Not everyone responds with immunity after having the Hepatitis B series. Therefore,
students must prove positive immunity by titer. If years have passed since you were
immunized, it is possible that your titer results will be negative. In this case a
booster of the 1st vaccine in the series may be administered and a new titer draw 4-8 weeks later. Usually
this titer will be positive. If it is not, the rest of the vaccine series must be
completed and a new titer drawn 4-8 weeks after the final shot. If a student goes
through two series’ of the Hepatitis B vaccine and their titer is still negative,
the student will be considered a “nonresponder” and no additional testing or vaccinations
are required. The student will receive additional counseling on how to handle exposure
to Hepatitis B.
- I have received the BCG vaccine, and PPD tests show positive results for me.
Students who have received the BCG vaccine may find that IGRA testing is the best
option for them, though it is generally more expensive than the PPD test.
- My PPD/IGRA/TB Screen/TDaP/CPR/Background Check doesn't expire until December 1st,
why do I have to update it by July 15th?
The School of Nursing Handbook requires students to be prepared for the entire coming
semester before the semester begins. All nursing students in each of the programs
are held to this standard. Because the School of Nursing tracks so many students all
around the state of Alaska, the deadlines are required to ensure that everyone can
be accounted for in time for the class start date. The School of Nursing could not
continue without its partnership with clinical facilities; these facilities trust
that our students are prepared for clinical contact with patients and we cannot jeopardize
that trust. There must be no preventable risk to students or patients, which is why
the School of Nursing strictly enforces their clinical requirements.
- Why do I need 2 PPD Tests at the start of the program?
The second PPD test is to detect any latent TB infection that may have been missed
by the initial PPD test. The IGRA TB blood test will also detect latent TB, and may
be submitted in lieu of a 2-step PPD test.
- Why do I need an HIV test if you don’t want the results?
As a healthcare professional, it is your responsibility to know your HIV status and
be educated on how to handle it – particularly in a healthcare setting. The School
of Nursing needs to know that each student has taken measures to do so.
- I am in the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program and I have already done my clinical
training. Why do I need to complete clinical health requirements?
DNP students must all complete a project that will involve patient contact. If any
student has contact with patients for the purpose of pursuing a degree through the
School of Nursing, they must meet the established clinical requirements.
- How do I request my health records after I have graduated?
The School of Nursing will no longer retain any copies of the health information for graduated students. Students must contact their original providers for health documentation.
If you have additional questions or need assistance, please contact the School of
Nursing's Compliance Assistant at (907) 786-4537.
