All students must complete a comprehensive background check with an accredited member of the National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS) such as Castle Branch, Inc.

Full vaccination against COVID-19, including booster, is required at our clinical facilities. Acceptable vaccines include Pfizer (2 shots plus booster), Moderna (2 shots plus booster), Johnson & Johnson (1 shot plus booster), or Novanax (2 shots plus booster).

All students are required to meet the following essential functions for entry and continuation in the health programs.

Physical Demands

• Perform prolonged, extensive, or considerable standing/walking, lifting, positioning, pushing, and/or transferring patients.
• Possess the ability to perform fine motor movements with hands and fingers.
• Possess the ability to lift extremely heavy weight (50 lbs. or more).
• Perform considerable reaching, stooping, bending, kneeling, and crouching.

Sensory Demands

• Color vision; ability to distinguish and identify colors (may be corrected with adaptive devices).
• Distance vision; ability to see clearly 20 feet or more.
• Depth perception; ability to judge distance and space relationships.
• Near vision; ability to see clearly 20 inches or less.
• Hearing; ability to recognize a full range of tones.

Working Environments

• Exposed to infectious and contagious disease, without prior notification
• Exposed to the risk of blood-borne diseases
• Exposed to hazardous agents, body fluids, and wastes.
• Exposed to odorous chemicals and specimens
• Subject to hazards of flammable and explosive gases.
• Subject to burns and cuts.
• Contact with patients having different religious, culture, ethnicity, race, sexual orientation, psychological and physical disabilities, and under a wide variety of circumstances.
• Handle emergency or crisis
• Subject to many interruptions
• Requires judgement/action in life/death situations
• Exposed to products containing latex

English Language Skills

• Students must be able to communicate effectively, both verbally and written, with clients, colleagues and instructors to complete classes successfully and to ensure safety for themselves and for others.

In order to comply with all standards established by various clinical agencies attended by students throughout the program, certain health and safety information and records must be submitted to the healthcare program. All students should maintain copies or a backup of all relevant files.

Physical and Mental Health 

All students entering any of the healthcare programs must submit a Student Health Evaluation completed by a healthcare provider demonstrating good physical and mental health.

Tuberculosis Screening 

Students must provide (if previously negative for TB) evidence of the absence of Tuberculosis by submitting to Mantoux PPD screening or blood tests annually. If previously positive for TB, a chest x-ray is required for entry to the program and the student must complete a questionnaire annually showing that he/she is free of suspicious symptoms. Students, who convert to TB positive during the course of the program, must provide a chest x-ray report as evidence of the absence of active TB and then complete a questionnaire annually showing they are free of suspicious symptoms.

TB tests are offered at no cost in the Student Health Center.

Measles, Mumps, and Rubella Immunity 

Provide proof of adequate titer is required. A booster may be needed if titer is not met.

Chicken Pox Immunity

Provide proof of adequate titer is required. A booster may be needed if titer is not met.

Hepatitis B Immunity

Provide proof of adequate titer is required. A booster may be needed if titer is not met.

BLS Training

American Heart Association Basic Life Support training for healthcare providers completed every two years.

Malpractice Insurance

A copy of current Malpractice Insurance (renewed annually) indicating limits of liability of $1,000,000 per claim/$6,000,000 aggregate. Malpractice insurance can be purchased for approximately $30 per year at www.nso.com.

Background Check

Nursing students attend the local medical centers with their nursing instructors to provide nursing care for various patients. The medical centers require that students comply with all policies of the medical center; therefore, a clear background check is required.

A clear background check must be obtained through CastleBranch by each student admitted to healthcare programs and dated within two months of admission.

Students who refuse the Hepatitis B vaccine must complete and submit the Hepatitis B Vaccine Waiver before admission.

Health Insurance

The student enrolled in the Nursing program is neither an employee of Long Beach City College nor an employee of the clinical agency. Neither are they considered an employee of any health care facility used as an extended campus site for this program. Therefore, at all times, the student is responsible for their own medical needs and costs. Students who purchase an ASB card will have limited coverage for college-related injuries.

Student nurse workers enrolled in Clinical Practicum courses and employed by a hospital are an exception to this rule only when they are functioning as employees.

Malpractice Insurance

A copy of current Malpractice Insurance (renewed annually) indicating limits of liability of $1,000,000 per claim/$6,000,000 aggregate. Malpractice insurance can be purchased for approximately $30 per year at www.nso.com.

Missing or updated information must be submitted before attending clinical rotations. Any clinical day missed due to incomplete health requirements will count as a clinical absence.

Students must complete and submit the Latex Allergy Policy regarding latex exposure before admission.

Students must complete and submit the Student Health Evaluation Form before admission.