Practicum Clearance

The practicum agencies for applied learning experiences (aka clinical) have policies about what is required of nursing students. Before your first practicum rotation, you must submit a number of requirements for initial practicum clearance. After this initial practicum clearance, you must stay up-to-date on all practicum requirements before each semester begins.

It is each student鈥檚 responsibility to remain in compliance. Students out of compliance are not cleared to attend practicum and will receive a clinical practicum performance improvement write-up. Students who receive three write-ups will be dismissed from the nursing program. Missed practicum days may result in delayed progression in the program. The School of Nursing must receive clearance, each semester, to secure practicum rotations for students. The process of placing students in a practicum rotation may take up to 6 weeks. Failure to submit your required paperwork on time, even during the summer, will result in delayed progression. This may mean that students will need to update health requirements before the health requirement will expire, plan for out-of-pocket expenses.

Initial Practicum Requirements and Clearance

Initial Practicum Requirements and Clearance

Initial practicum clearance begins when you are admitted to the nursing program. You will begin to gather, complete, and submit the initial requirements before beginning the program and during your first semester. While some requirements can be done ahead of the initial semester of the program, some will need to be done during your initial semester of the program.

Timeline and Deadlines

 

Initial Practicum Clearance for Traditional BSN students

Initial Practicum Clearance for Traditional BSN students

  • Fall entry: All initial requirements must be completed (uploaded and approved) in CastleBranch by Dec 10th, 12:01 am.
  • Fall entry: Attend required practicum clearance workshop the Friday before Spring classes begin.
  • Spring entry: All requirements must be completed (uploaded and approved) in CastleBranch by July 10th, 12:01 am.
  • Spring entry: Attend required practicum clearance workshop the Friday before Fall classes begin.

Initial Practicum Clearance for Accelerated BSN Students

Initial Practicum Clearance for Accelerated BSN Students

  • May Entry: All requirements must be completed (uploaded and approved) in Castlebranch by July 10th, 12:01 am.
  • May Entry: Attend required practicum clearance workshop scheduled in July.

 

Practicum Requirements Detailed List
Initial 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

Practicum Education Requirements

  1. Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Certification (CPR) 鈥 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 鈥 This is a one time requirement that is due before your first practicum experience.
  3. OSHA Awareness and Compliance Training Module 鈥 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

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鈥 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 红领巾瓜报. For more information visit the Student Health Services website at .

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.

  1. Infectious Diseases Informed Consent: Students are required to review and sign the infectious diseases informed consent.
  2. 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.

  1. Measles, Mumps & Rubella (MMR): Documentation of 2 MMR vaccinations or positive Titers* for measles (rubeola), mumps, & rubella.
  2. Varicella (Chicken Pox): Documentation of varicella by one of the following:
    1. Positive Varicella Titer
    2. Two doses of Varicella vaccine (28 days apart)
  3. 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.
  4. Tdap (Tetanus, Diphtheria and Pertussis): Documentation of a booster within the last ten years is required.
  5. Influenza: Students are required to have an annual flu vaccination (no Flu Mist). The season鈥檚 flu vaccine is typically September 1st and is due October 15th. 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.
  6. 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 Check Requirement

Background and criminal history checks 鈥 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.

 

Renewal of Practicum Requirements

Renewal of Practicum Requirements

Renewal of Practicum Health Requirements (physical exam, immunizations, TB testing, CPR)

  • If one-year expiration date occurs between December 10th and July 9th, renewal date is December 10th
  • If one-year expiration date occurs between July 9th and December 10th, renewal date is July 10th

Renewal of Practicum Education Requirements (OSHA, glucometer, restraint use skills validation, student handbook review, hospital specific orientation and paperwork)

Traditional BSN program students must complete yearly practicum education requirements. All yearly education requirements will be due on July 10th, 12:01 am regardless of when your initial practicum education requirement was completed.

Accelerated Program 鈥 yearly renewal of practicum education requirements will not applicable due to the length of the program.

Background Check Infractions: Licensure and Practicum
Practicum

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

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

 

Practicum Rotation Hospital Requirements

Practicum Rotation Hospital Requirements

 

Ascension Medical Group, Wichita Facilities

Completion of online orientation modules or in-person orientation.

 

Wesley Medical Center, Wichita Facilities

Completion of online orientation modules

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  • When directed to do so, create a The Clinical Hub Account (no cost) at