Undergraduate Practicum Requirements

Expectations of Requirements

Documentation of health requirements will be scanned, uploaded, reviewed and approved by a 3rd party vendor.  Students should scan and upload documentation no later than two weeks (14 days) prior to the due date. Students who do not scan and upload 14 days in advance may not be cleared by the deadline, thus resulting in delayed program progression.

Practicum Education Requirements

1. Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Certification (CPR) – Current certification in infant, child and adult CPR. Must be BLS for Healthcare Providers (American Heart Association or American Red Cross certified instructors). CPR training must be completed in person with a skill demonstration; online CPR certifications are not accepted.
2. Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Training – This is a one time requirement that is due before your first practicum experience.
3. OSHA Awareness and Compliance Training Module – required before your first practicum experience and annually afterward.
4. Student Handbook Acknowledgement: Students are required to review and be accountable for the information in the School of Nursing Student Handbook. The handbook will be available to you in an email before your Nursing Orientation. You must acknowledge receipt.

Practicum Health Requirements

1. Urine Drug Screen: Students must have a negative drug test free of prohibited substances. Students are subject to additional drug screens, at the students’ expense, at the discretion of any practicum agency.
2. Health Care Insurance: Nursing students are required to carry health insurance and to upload verification of insurance (copy of insurance card).
   
   For WSU students who need health insurance, the Kansas Board of Regents has secured a contract for a student insurance provider for Wichita State University. For more information visit the Student Health Services website at https://wichita.edu/?u=shc&p=/healthinsurance/.

Note that some insurance companies require a waiting period prior to your coverage being active. You must have insurance in place early enough that your waiting period is complete before starting practicum.

3. Infectious Diseases Informed Consent: Students are required to review and sign the infectious diseases informed consent.
4. TB Skin Test/PPD: For initial clinical clearance, a negative 2-step TB skin test, negative Chest X-ray or negative Interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA) blood test is required. The test must be completed no more than 1 year prior to the first practicum course. We highly recommend the student obtain TB testing during the initial semester of the program.

If a student has a history of positive TB skin test results the student will need to submit the following documentation: the positive result with the date, treatment received, and the date of a negative chest x-ray. The student is then required to complete an annual chest x-ray or IGRA test while in the program.

7. Measles, Mumps & Rubella (MMR): Documentation of 2 MMR vaccinations or positive Titers* for measles (rubeola), mumps, & rubella.
8. Varicella (Chicken Pox): Documentation of varicella by one of the following:
   1. Positive Varicella Titer
   2. Two doses of Varicella vaccine (28 days apart)
9. Hepatitis B: Completion of the Hepatitis B vaccine series. The Hepatitis B vaccine series occurs over 6 months. Students who are not completed with the series by the initial practicum clearance deadline will not receive clearance to attend practicum, thus delaying progression in the nursing program.
10. Tdap (Tetanus, Diphtheria and Pertussis): Documentation of a booster within the last ten years is required.
11. Influenza: Students are required to have an annual flu vaccination (no Flu Mist). The season’s flu vaccine is typically September 1^st and is due October 15^th. Date is subject to change based on affiliating agency requirements. Students who begin practicum in the spring semester must complete influenza vaccine as part of the initial practicum requirements. Students who begin practicum in a fall semester will receive influenza during their first semester in the program.
12. Physical Examination: The School of Nursing requires any student accepted into the Nursing Program to complete the diagnostic and physical exams necessary to assure that the individual is physically and emotionally capable of completing the program. Routine examinations are required each year. It is recommended that students use the physical exam form provided by their primary care physician. 

Background Check Requirement

Background and criminal history checks – Includes national check and Statewide criminal and county criminal searches. The background check will include:

1. Social Security Number Verification;
2. Criminal Search (7 years or up to 5 criminal searches);
3. Violent sex offender and predatory registry search;
4. HHS/OIG list of excluded individuals;
5. GSA list of parties excluded from federal programs;
6. S. Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), List of specially designated nationals (SDN); and
7. Applicable State Exclusion List, if available.

A background check with any infractions, regardless of how the infractions may have been resolved or adjudicated must be receive practicum clearance from our practicum partners. Students can be denied practicum experiences based on background checks with infractions. Denial of practicum experience would result in non-progression through the nursing program. Practicum experiences are required in the curriculum.

Practicum

Students with any infraction on a background check, regardless of disposition, maybe denied access to practicum rotation sites. Each practicum rotation site will determine if a student, with a flag on the background, can attend practicum. Students not cleared to attend practicum may be at risk for not completing the nursing program.

Kansas State Board of Nursing: Convictions

Convictions:  If you have been convicted of a misdemeanor and/or felony:  certified/dated copies of court documents (for EACH) conviction are REQUIRED when you submit your application. The certified/dated copies must be current (dated within the past 3 months). Without the REQUIRED documents, the application is considered incomplete and may result in a denial of licensure. (Note: if this action has been previously submitted to KSBN and given a KSBN case number, do not send a second copy). Licensure may be denied. To learn more about nursing licensure in the State of Kansas visit https://ksbn.kansas.gov/legal-background-info/