Associate of Science in Nursing: Clinical Placement Policy
The following information is required once the student is admitted to the ASN program. The items are required for students to be ablet to begin the nursing program and to be able to attend laboratory and clinical practicum experiences. Information on attainment of the common clinical placement requirements will be sent to the student upon admission to the ASN program.
CASTLEBRANCH
The ASN nursing program uses a compliance tracking system through a vendor named Castlebranch. Applicants upon admission to the Bay Path University ASN program will upload all ASN admission requirements to the CASTLEBRANCH system. Instructions for setting up the account and the fee (currently $200) will be sent to the student in their acceptance documents and is available in the BPU ASN student handbook.
Health Insurance
Each ASN nursing student is required to have health insurance in effect at all times that the student is participating in ASN Nursing activities. Current verification of health insurance will be uploaded and maintained in the Castlebranch system.
Professional Liability Insurance
Each nursing student is required to have professional liability insurance. The professional liability insurance is provided by Bay Path University while the student is functioning as a student.
Basic Cardiac Life Support (BLS) Requirements
Certification Requirement - Only American Heart Association BLS Accepted
CPR certification is required and must remain current during the entire program. Verification is uploaded to the Castlebranch system.
Health Requirements
Health requirements include a physical examination and immunization reports.
These health requirements deadlines will be outlined in the student acceptance
packets.
Health Evaluation/Physical Exam
A comprehensive health evaluation/physical exam is required for all incoming associate degree nursing students. As shared before all completed health forms and background checks must be submitted by the deadline in the Castlebranch system. The cost of the Castlebranch system will be the student’s responsibility.
The health requirements include:
- MMR: Measles (Rubeola), Mumps, and Rubella: a. Documentation of 2 MMR vaccines or
- laboratory evidence of immunity (positive titer). If titer is equivocal or negative, must receive two vaccines after the titer.
- Varicella (chicken pox):
- Documentation of 2 Varicella vaccines or
- laboratory evidence of immunity (positive titer- If titer is equivocal or negative, must receive two vaccines after the titer.
- Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis (tdap): a. Documentation of a single dose of Tdap within the last 10 years.
- Hepatitis B: a. Documentation of Hep B vaccine series, immunity, or declination.
- TB Screening Documentation: required annually a. Skin test: PPD tuberculin skin test or IGRA within the previous 12 months; if history of positive Tb test complete an annual symptom assessment and undergo a chest X-Ray every 5 years.
- Influenza vaccination: required annually a. Documentation of flu shot administered during the current flu season;
- Physical examination: required on admission and as needed.
- COVID-19 vaccination a. Documentation of vaccination(s) must include the vaccine manufacturer, lot number, date, and healthcare professional or clinical site given OR
- BPU Medical/Religious Exemption Form at least 14 days before the start of the rotation.
In summary, after notification of acceptance into the program is received, students should make arrangements with their health care provider for the above physical examination and to collect or obtain the immunizations required. Cost for these items are the student’s responsibility.
IMPORTANT NOTE: IMMUNIZATIONS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE PER DPH and/or CDC GUIDELINES AND REQUIREMENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OR CLINICAL SITE.
Note: Some clinical education sites may have immunization requirements beyond the general requirements noted above. It will be the student’s responsibility to meet any additional immunization requirements of specific sites to which s/he is assigned.
Criminal Background Checks and Drug Testing
Certain laws require health care agencies to request criminal background checks on volunteers, education positions, or prospective employees. The information is then reviewed to determine if a candidate is appropriate for the facility. A national criminal background investigation must be completed upon admission to the program and repeated as required by the clinical agencies. The majority of clinical education sites must comply with these laws; therefore, it is each student’s personal and financial responsibility to use the program-assigned agency to obtain the
required background check(s). Infractions may result in inability to matriculate the student, assign rotation sites and/or obtain a license to practice upon graduation. Drug screening is required for all ASN students to be eligible for placement in a clinical facility. Bay Path utilizes CastleBranch to serve as a database tracking system for all nursing students for the background checks and drug testing. The processing and tracking of each student’s documents through CastleBranch’s document tracking system again is at the student’s expense. Drug screening and/or fingerprinting may be indicated based on clinical site requirements. If fingerprinting of drug testing is required additional costs will apply based on the current market cost. Students are responsible for costs associated with background checks/fingerprinting, and/or drug screens.
Specific instructions for establishment of a CastleBranch account will be provided by the program prior to the start of the nursing program and clinical practicums. Students need to be aware of and comply with deadline dates stated in the directions. Noncompliance may prohibit the student from beginning a practicum and potentially continuance in the program.
Additional CORI/SORI and national/federal criminal background checks may be required annually or prior to the placement at the clinical agency or minimally on an annual basis. Individuals with previous court convictions must meet the eligibility requirements of the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing for licensure eligibility. Prospective students should review the Good Moral Character CMR set by the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing.
Additional Documentation and Requirements
In addition, clinical agencies may require documentation of a student’s current health insurance, including the name of carrier and the policy number, a copy of CPR certification for Healthcare Providers by the American Heart Association. Obtaining and maintaining current certification in these areas (as required by the practicum site) is the responsibility of the student and must be complete prior to the start of practicum hours.
Essential Functions:
Functional Abilities Esssential For Nursing Practice
A candidate for a nursing degree should possess functional abilities essential for nursing practice. The performance abilities and essential skills the student must demonstrate in order to successfully complete the requirements of all aspects of the program with or without reasonable accommodations as defined by the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) and applicable laws. Reasonable accommodation may be made for some disabilities. However, a candidate is expected to perform in a reasonably independent manner in the classroom, laboratory, or clinical/practicum. Individuals should contact the University Office of Student Accessibility Services if you have a documented disability and seek reasonable accommodations.
Fifteen Categories of Functional Abilities
Gross Motor Skills: Gross motor skills are sufficient to provide the full range of safe and effective nursing care activities.
Fine Motor Skills: Fine motor skills sufficient to perform manual psychomotor skills. Physical Endurance Physical stamina sufficient to perform full range of required client care activities.
Mobility: Physical ability to move from place to place and to maneuver to
perform nursing activities.
Hearing: Auditory ability sufficient for physical monitoring and assessment of client health care needs.
Visual: Visual ability sufficient for accurate observation and performance of nursing care.
Tactile: Tactile ability sufficient for physical monitoring and assessment of health care needs.
Smell: Olfactory ability sufficient to detect environmental and client odors.
Reading: Reading ability sufficient to comprehend the written word at a minimum of tenth-grade level.
Arithmetic: Arithmetic ability sufficient to do computations as a minimum of an eighth-grade level. It includes the following three concepts:
Counting: the act of enumerating or determining the number of items in a group.
Measuring: the act or process of ascertaining the extent, dimensions, or quantity of something.
Computing: the act or process of performing mathematical calculations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.
Emotional Stability: Emotional stability sufficient to assume responsibility/accountability for actions.
Analytical Thinking: Reasoning skills sufficient to perform deductive/inductive thinking for nursing decisions.
Critical Thinking: Skills Critical thinking ability sufficient to exercise sound clinical reasoning and nursing judgement.
Interpersonal Skills: Interpersonal abilities sufficient to interact with individuals, families, and groups respecting social, cultural, and spiritual diversity.
Communication Skills: Communication abilities sufficient for interaction with others in oral and written form.
Yocom, C. (1996) Validation Study: Functional Abilities for Nursing Practice.
Chicago. National Council of State Boards of Nursing.
Download the Functional Ability Represntative Acitivies/Attributes information.
