Your choice of career path requires you to meet specific health and safety standards as outlined by Ontario law. The Ontario government and the organizations offering you a practice placement have mandated specific medical and non-medical requirements that must be met by you, before you can begin your practice placement. These measures are there to protect you, your co-workers and those that you will serve in your placement. The Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing is committed to meeting standards of practice in nursing by ensuring that students attain and maintain required certifications and meet recommended immunization standards. Placement requirements, forms/documents, and deadlines are also available to students by logging into OWL (go to the Placement Information site). For more information about our School placement requirements, please review our FAQs. Questions about placement requirements should be directed to: Students must submit School pre-placement requirement documentation to Western Student Health Services during their appointment before the mandatory deadline. Deadlines are posted in OWL, and were circulated, along with relevant documents, to students via email (from the Placement Coordinator, Requirements & Information). Students are strongly advised to keep original documents. Medical Requirements: Below are the required immunizations for all nursing students prior to any contact with patients/clients. This is to ensure the safety of both students and patients. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that all immunization requirements have been met and to maintain a current immunization status throughout the program. Documented proof of immunization is mandatory and may be requested by our practice partners. Students must be prepared to show their immunization documentation to agencies upon request. Failure to maintain the required immunization status will result in the student not being able to participate in the placement, thereby jeopardizing completion of the course. Tuberculosis (Mantoux) - documented proof of a 2-Step TB Skin Test (TST). If a 2-Step TST was completed more than 12 months ago, a current 1-Step TST is also required. If either TST is positive, the student will require medical follow-up with chest x-ray. Varicella - a positive serologic test for the antibody, or documented proof of vaccination. Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) - a positive serologic test for antibody, or documented proof of vaccination (NOTE: Two doses of measles vaccine are required). Pertussis - documented proof of vaccination within the past 10 years. Tetanus/Diphtheria - proof of primary series of vaccines, or a booster with the past 10 years. Polio - proof of complete series of vaccines. Hepatitis B - proof of primary series and a serology test, or a series of 3 injections followed by an antibody check. Influenza - annual vaccination; documentation due by November 15. Tuberculosis (Mantoux) - 1-Step TST required annually. If TST is positive, the student will require medical follow-up with chest x-ray. Influenza - annual vaccination; documentation due by November 15. Tetanus/Diphtheria/Pertussis - students must ensure they maintain these vaccinations Standard First Aid (entering BScN students only) – must be valid for clearance into first term of placements (i.e. Collaborative Year 2, CTF Level 1). CPR - Health Care Provider (HCP) - BScN students are required to recertify annually (regardless of their card expiration date) and certification must be valid for the entire duration of each placement*. Students in the MN/NP program must maintain a valid certification for the entire duration of each placement*. The Level HCP course is designed for healthcare providers who have a duty to respond to medical emergencies. Level C CPR certification is not acceptable, students must obtain CPR at the Healthcare Provider level. Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS): valid for 3 years; must be valid for the entire duration of each placement*. Students may take WHMIS from any provider (e.g. place of employment), and Western provides this training for students as well. Students may complete Western University's WHMIS - Basic online training available (as a "Joinable Site") in OWL, with a minimum mark of 80%. Mask Fit Testing - valid for two years; must be valid for the entire duration of each placement*. If you lose or gain a significant amount of weight or have dental/facial surgery, you will need to have your mask fit test redone. Male students must be clean shaven in order to be properly fitted. Students may be tested at the provider of their choice and this service is also available to our students through Western Student Health Services. It is recommended that students be tested for one of the following mask types: 3M 1860S, 3M 8210, 3M 1870/9210. Criminal Screening (police record check) - completed annually; must be valid for the entire duration of each placement*. To obtain appropriate criminal screening documentation: Students are advised to keep a copy of their criminal screening documentation as many of our placement partners request proof that this requirement has been met. Students must also be prepared to complete the police check process more frequently if asked by an agency. Students are not required to share their criminal screening information with School of Nursing staff/faculty, however they are required to disclose results to our practice partners if an occurance exists. Students are advised that a criminal record may negatively affect their ability to complete the BScN program and eligibility to register with the College of Nurses of Ontario or an equivalent regulatory body. Faculty of Health Sciences VSS Policy Students should familiarize themselves with the requirements and process, including fees, identification to bring, and processing times in order to meet this requirement in an expedient manner. Fees are the responsibility of the student and processing times vary depending on the volume of requests. Processing time for police checks varies, sometimes take several weeks. Students are strongly encouraged to start the application process well in advance. It is the responsibility of the student to ensure each check includes a Vulnerable Sector Check. Students who require a School of Nursing VSS Authorization Letter or London Police, Toronto Police, or OPP record check form can download these documents from the Placement Information site in Owl (under Resources > Forms & Documents), or may contact the Placement Coordinator, Requirements & Information if an original letter is needed. * Students with certifications/requirements expiring during the placement period must renew (before expiry) and provide updated documentation to Student Health Services to continue to be eligible for placement. This will require another appointment and there will be a charge for this appointment. The Health Sciences Placement Network (HSPnet) is a database used by the Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing and many of our practice partners to manage placements for our students. During their first year, students receive the document Identified Purposes and Handling of Personal Information in HSPnet, and then sign and return the Consent Form for Use and Disclosure of Personal Information to the School of Nursing. The Identified Purposes document is available in OWL (in the Placement Information site). As a nursing student you have access to healthcare information and are bound by legislation to keep the information that you access confidential. In order to be able to access this privileged information, students must, in a classroom setting, review the components of privacy and confidentiality, write a quiz demonstrating knowledge acquisition, and sign a the School of Nursing Privacy & Confidentiality Agreement. This agreement will be housed in each student’s file for the duration of their time within the Nursing program. The School of Nursing will complete a WSIB Work-Place Education Agreement (WEPA) form for each student (as requested by practice partners) prior to each practice placement to ensure coverage in the event of an injury/incident; a student’s signature is required on this form. WEPA forms will be distributed by the Placement Coordinator, Requirements & Information, and must be signed and returned to the Placement Coordinator, Requirements & Information, Health Sciences Addition Room H138 prior to the start of each placement, as requested.Pre-Placement Requirements
Placement Coordinator, Requirements & Information
Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing
Health Sciences Addition, Room H138
Important Guidelines for Document Submission:
ENTERING STUDENTS (Collaborative Year 2, CTF Level 1, MN/NP Program):
RETURNING STUDENTS (Collaborative Years 3 & 4, CTF Levels 3/4):
Non-Medical Requirements:
Students born before January 14, 1986 must obtain a police check with vulnerable sector screening (VSS) from their local police station.
Students born on or after January 14, 1986 must obtain an OESC ID card and written report online through the Ontario Education Services Corporation (choose option b on the application).Practice Placements and HSPnet:
Confidentiality Agreements:
Workplace Safety Insurance Board (WSIB) Work Education Placement Agreement:
Also from this web page:
Office of the Director
Mary-Anne Andrusyszyn
Director
Ann Hoffer
Administrative Assistant
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