Clinical Requirements

A variety of agencies in South Central Tennessee are used as clinical learning facilities for students. Students are responsible for providing their own transportation to and from the University of Tennessee Southern and assigned clinical agencies. Clinical experiences are selected to augment nursing theory and provide the learner with the opportunity to develop clinical competencies in the delivery of nursing care. Students must complete designated clinical requirements upon admission to the program and keep them current until graduation.

Mandatory clinical requirements are established to protect students as well as patients. Immunization requirements follow the CDC and OSHA guidelines as well as those of the clinical agencies serving as clinical rotation sites. Students who do not demonstrate recommended positive titers may be required to repeat the required immunizations. The mandatory clinical requirements are:

• Immunization Record;

• Measles, Mumps & Rubella titers;

• Varicella (Chicken Pox) titers;

• Hepatitis B titer;

• Tetanus/Diphtheria/Pertussis Booster (DTaP);

• A two-step tuberculin skin test or proof of negative status;

• American Heart Association Basic Life Support (BLS) (may be offered during Fundamentals course);

• A criminal background check, as approved by the Nursing program;

• A 10-panel drug screen, as approved by the Nursing program;

• Discretionary random and/or scheduled drug screen participation required until graduation;

• Flu vaccination;

• Health insurance: proof of coverage must be provided each semester;

• Physical examinations by licensed health care provider;

• Professional liability insurance: purchased through the UT Southern Business Office;

• Documentation of blood borne Pathogens/Standard Precautions/Universal Precautions training prior to entering the clinical experience (training provided by the Nursing program);

• HIPAA training (training provided by the Nursing program); 

Students who have a positive criminal background check and/or drug screen may not be able to complete the required clinical components of the nursing courses and therefore would not be able to successfully complete the nursing program. See Nursing Program Handbook Drug Screening Policy.

Policy changes by regulatory bodies and/or clinical agencies can result in additional clinical requirements.

Inability to comply with the change may prevent successful completion of any affected course.