Clinical Compliance Requirements
The Lee University School of Nursing’s contracts with hospitals and other healthcare agencies specify clinical compliance requirements such as vaccines, criminal background checks, and proof of health insurance by all students and university sponsored clinical instructors.
Hospitals require nursing students to provide documentation of immunizations before participating in clinical placements to protect the health and safety of patients, students, and healthcare personnel. Because nursing students work directly with vulnerable populations and may be exposed to infectious diseases, immunization requirements help reduce the risk of transmitting preventable illnesses in clinical settings. These requirements also support compliance with healthcare facility policies, public health recommendations, and applicable regulatory standards. Meeting these requirements is an essential part of professional responsibility and readiness for clinical practice.
(After reading FAQ below, specific questions may be submitted to [email protected] or click here to access Lee SON Vaccination Exemption Request form. Completed forms should also be submitted to [email protected].)
Frequently asked questions regarding clinical compliance requirements:
“If I have not been vaccinated, can I still get into the nursing program at Lee?”
Because the Lee University School of Nursing (SON) curriculum includes more than 600 hours of supervised clinical learning involving direct patient care, students must meet all clinical compliance requirements (vaccinations, background check, etc.) to enter and remain in the nursing program. Our hospital and healthcare partners establish specific requirements that must be satisfied before students are granted access to clinical environments. While the Lee SON does not establish these standards, we are responsible for verifying the compliance of all students and clinical instructors to maintain our contractual agreements with these partners. Therefore, clinical clearance is an essential requirement for participation in the nursing program.
“What are the specific immunization requirements for the SON?”
Lee University SON is one of many nursing programs in our region. Our students have clinical placements in many different hospitals in our region. To streamline the clinical compliance process, all nursing programs and hospitals in the region participate in the Area Consortium of Educators (ACE) which was created to streamline clinical compliance requirements. (Rather than having all students meet all hospitals’ requirements, they meet one standardized set of requirements.) Our clinical contracts with hospitals in the ACE organization require proof of the following immunizations by both students and their clinical instructors:
Record of health that includes:
o Tdap vaccine w/in 10 years (students entering pediatric, OB or ED areas)
o Varicella Zoster (chicken pox) immunization record or proof of immunity (titer)
o MMR immunization record or proof of immunity (titer)
o Hepatitis B immunization series, titer or proof of declination
o Annual flu vaccine
o Negative Tuberculin skin test (PPD)
“Have you had any success in placing students in clinicals with approved religious exemptions?”
Hospitals may accept attestation of declination of the Hep B vaccine and exemptions from annual flu vaccines. However, hospitals require those not having the annual flu vaccine to always wear a mask while in patient care areas during the flu season.
“Which clinical partners are the most/least flexible?”
ACE hospitals in the Chattanooga/Cleveland area all have the same clinical compliance requirements for nursing students and their clinical instructors.