Nursing Program Requisites

To ensure knowledge of standard precautions and the system for reporting exposures, all SLU Trudy Busch Valentine School of Nursing students must read the booklet published by the CDC, Exposure to Blood: What Health-Care Workers Need to Know, and the accompanying Trudy Busch Valentine School of Nursing Information, Additional Notes on Bloodborne Pathogens, then complete the Bloodborne Pathogens Receipt and Acknowledgment Form.

All SLU nursing students are required to be certified by the American Heart Association and to maintain the certification throughout their coursework.

Trudy Busch Valentine School of Nursing students are required to have a comprehensive background check prior to enrollment and prior to any clinical experience. You must sign an authorization to release the results of the background check to the Trudy Busch Valentine School of Nursing and to the agency if requested.

Background checks are completed through CastleBranch.

Background checks deemed unacceptable based on past criminal history will be handled on an individual basis with consultation from the dean and program director, and may result in dismissal.

It is your responsibility to check with each agency prior to beginning clinical experiences to identify and meet its requirements. In some cases, drug screens or other requirements may be required. You are responsible for the cost of any required screenings.

Agencies maintain the right to deny a student to practice if your background check or drug screen is positive. In such cases, you would be prevented from completing the program due to inability to complete the clinical requirements. Records for both the criminal background check and the drug screen are maintained in strict confidence by the Trudy Busch Valentine School of Nursing and will be disclosed to the participating agency only upon request.

Emergency contact  information must be kept up-to-date in your Banner account. A hold on registration will be placed if you do not have updated information (once a semester). If you receive an email reminder to verify emergency contact information log onto MySLU, click on the "Tools" tab, and click on "Banner Self Service." You will then prompted with a verification form.

• If the information is accurate, please check the box at the bottom of the screen indicating that you are verifying the information as accurate then click the submit button.
• If the information is inaccurate,  please modify the information. After the correction, access the form again, click the verification check-box and then click "Submit."
• If you encounter difficulties, call the SLU Registrar's office at 314-977-2269.

Immunization records are to be mailed or faxed (314-977-8949) to the Trudy Busch Valentine School of Nursing prior to registration for the subsequent semester (by approximately November 1 and April 1) or a hold will be placed on your registration.

• Diphtheria and Tetanus*: Documentation of a primary series of diphtheria and tetanus toxoid, and a booster within the past ten years.
• Measles*: Documentation of two doses of live measles (or MMR combined) vaccine separated by at least one month on or after the first birthday, or laboratory evidence of immunity. Because routine childhood immunization schedules for two doses of measles vaccine have only recently been implemented, most students entering the University will need the second dose of live measles vaccine. Individuals who received killed measles vaccine, combination of killed and live measles vaccine, or measles vaccine of an unknown type between 1963-1967 are considered unvaccinated, and should receive two doses of live vaccine at least one month apart.
• Mumps*: Documentation of one dose of live mumps (or MMR combined) vaccine on or after the first birthday or laboratory evidence of immunity. People who received killed mumps vaccine available between 1950-1978 might benefit from revaccination.
• Rubella*: Documentation of one dose of rubella (or MMR combined) vaccine on or after the first birthday, or documentation of laboratory evidence of immunity.
• Hepatitis A: Immunization series against Hepatitis A or laboratory evidence of immunity is recommended for student with direct patient contact, and highly recommended for students working with populations where there is increased incidence of Hepatitis A.
• Hepatitis B*: Immunization series against Hepatitis B or laboratory evidence of immunity is required before patient care experiences. Students are encouraged to follow current CDC recommendations, which include a follow-up titer to confirm continued immunity.
• Varicella: Documentation of disease or laboratory evidence of immunity is recommended before patient care experiences.
• Tuberculin Test*: A sequence of annual negative PPD tests or documentation of a negative two-step tuberculin skin test within the past 12 months is required before patient care experiences. Annual one-step retesting is required throughout the program. Positive skin tests require a separate, annual, physician statement documenting treatment and the absence of active/infectious tuberculosis.

Please note: All students must meet the health/immunization requirements of their assigned clinical agency. These requirements may necessitate additional immunizations besides those required by the University and Trudy Busch Valentine School of Nursing. All requirements are subject to change based on University, Trudy Busch Valentine School of Nursing, CDC or OSHA requirements.

*These are University requirements. All students must document compliance with these requirements upon entering the University. If documentation is not complete, students will be unable to participate in activities requiring patient contact and the University will place a hold on subsequent registration

Reference: Saint Louis University Student Immunization Requirements (1999)
Revised: Saint Louis University Trudy Busch Valentine School of Nursing (2002)

Under HIPAA, certain identifying pieces of health information are protected from casual scrutiny or use by unauthorized personnel.  HIPAA regulations govern the circumstances of collection, access to, and use of this Protected Health Information (PHI):  names, postal addresses, telephone numbers, fax numbers, email addresses, dates (including birth dates), social security numbers, medical record, and health plan numbers, account numbers, certificate/license numbers, vehicle identifiers including license plate numbers, device identifiers, names of relatives, web URLs, IP address numbers, biometric identifiers, photographs and comparable images, and any other unique identifying number, characteristic, or code.

Information on HIPAA training will be provided during orientation.  All students must sign a HIPPA form. 

Agencies require that the Trudy Busch Valentine School of Nursing release certain information regarding background checks, drug screens, immunizations, etc. upon request. Download the Trudy Busch Valentine School of Nursing Authorization Form, then sign and return.

All SLU nursing students are required to have a valid student photo ID card, which you will wear during the clinical practicum. Photo ID cards can be obtained during the on-campus orientation each semester.

Student Photo ID Badge/Card