Immunizations, TB and AHA BLS for UofM clinicals
Before a UofM practicum, your record needs MMR, Tdap, hepatitis B and varicella, a TB test and flu shot each year, and a current American Heart Association BLS card. Waivers are reviewed one request at a time, but Tennessee law and LCON's affiliation agreements take Tdap, MMR and varicella off the table.
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The immunization list, item by item
LCON's 2026-27 Academic Bulletin fixes this list for MSN and graduate certificate students. Each item goes into your Complio record, and a clinical site may ask to see the same records again during its own onboarding.
| Item | What satisfies it | How often |
|---|---|---|
| MMR | Two doses, or titers | Once complete |
| Tdap | A dose within the last 10 years | Every 10 years |
| Hepatitis B | Three doses, or a titer | Once complete |
| Varicella | Two doses, or a titer | Once complete |
| TB | PPD skin test, a provider statement, or QuantiFERON | Every year |
| Influenza | Seasonal vaccine | Every year |
| COVID-19 | Optional on LCON's list | Not required by LCON |
The series items stay on file once they are complete. The yearly items, TB and flu, are the ones that lapse, and each has to be current through the last day of your practicum.
TB testing and the flu shot each year
UofM accepts three forms of TB evidence: a PPD skin test, a provider statement, or a QuantiFERON blood test. Whichever you choose, it renews annually, so a result from last spring may not carry you through this spring's practicum.
Influenza runs on the same yearly cycle. Measure both dates against the end of your practicum, not its start: for a Spring 2027 practicum, that means through April 28, 2027, the last day of Spring classes. NP students start precepted practicums in a Spring term, so this check matters early in the program.
COVID-19 vaccination is optional on LCON's list. Clinical partners can set their own rules under their agreements with LCON, so check the site's requirements during myClinicalExchange onboarding.
Waivers: how UofM reviews them
The bulletin's waiver rule reads: "Vaccine waivers are reviewed on an individual basis, must be requested, and are approved by the Office of Community Partnerships and Practice." Requests start with the Vaccine Waiver Request Form linked from LCON's current-students page, and the MSN Required Documents page names the Director for Clinical Affairs as a reviewer.
Three vaccines sit outside that process. The bulletin rules out waivers for Tdap, MMR and varicella, citing Tennessee state law and LCON's affiliation agreements. The legal references it gives are Tenn. Code Ann. ยง 49-7-124(g) and Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0240-10-01-.03 and 0240-10-01-.04. For those three, plan on the documented doses, or titers for MMR and varicella.
For the other vaccines on the list, a waiver request goes through the individual review. Read the next section before you rely on one.
An approved waiver does not bind a clinical site
UofM is direct about the risk. Its MSN Required Documents page warns that some clinical partners have vaccination requirements that cannot accommodate a waiver. If no alternate site or clinical activity is available, the student could fall short of course outcomes, putting completion of the course and the program at risk.
That makes site choice part of the waiver decision. A waiver helps only if the preceptor's practice or hospital accepts it, so confirm the site's vaccine rules before the preceptor agreement form is filed, not after. The preceptor agreement form guide explains that approval step.
An LCON-approved waiver covers UofM's list only. A hospital or clinic can still require the vaccine before it accepts you.
BLS: the American Heart Association card
LCON asks for current BLS Healthcare Provider CPR, and UofM's bulletin and its MSN documents page both name the American Heart Association. Take an AHA course at the Healthcare Provider level rather than a general community CPR class, and keep the card current through the last clinical day of each practicum.
AG-ACNP students carry one more card. The graduate catalog asks them to keep ACLS current throughout the program, which fits the inpatient and critical care settings of their practicums; see AG-ACNP practicums. RN to BSN students also need AHA BLS, along with their immunizations, before the clinical course.
The rest of the health packet
Immunizations sit beside a few other health items on the graduate list: the LCON Physical Exam Form, proof of current health insurance, and the LCON Student Signature Form. The bulletin also sets Core Performance Standards for enrolling in MSN clinical courses, covering clinical thinking, interpersonal ability, communication, physical mobility, gross and fine motor ability, hearing, vision and touch.
Missing or lapsed items carry real consequences. A registration hold may follow, clinical permits wait until your health data is complete, and an absence caused by an expired document counts as unexcused. The guide to what counts as clinical hours explains how missed and unapproved days affect a course.
How we match your health record to the right site
Whether or not UofM helps with your search, you get a preceptor and clinical site that fit its rules and sit near where you live. Before we propose a site, we check its vaccine and screening rules against your record, which matters most when you hold a waiver or are still waiting on a titer.
Then we build your dates: when each yearly item renews, whether your BLS card reaches the end of the practicum, and what the site's onboarding adds. The preceptor's credentials for the agreement form come ready as well. Send us your program and first clinical term and we will map your health record against it.
Questions UofM students ask
Can I get a vaccine waiver for UofM clinicals?
You can request one, and the Office of Community Partnerships and Practice decides each request individually. Tdap, MMR and varicella waivers are not considered at all, under Tennessee law and LCON's affiliation agreements. Even an approved waiver may not satisfy a clinical partner, so confirm the site's own vaccine policy before you count on it.
Does UofM accept a Red Cross BLS card?
UofM's documents ask for BLS Healthcare Provider CPR from the American Heart Association, so an AHA card is the safe choice. If you already hold a card from another provider, ask your clinical faculty before your practicum whether it will be accepted, and renew through AHA if there is any doubt.
Do titers count instead of vaccine records?
For several items, yes. LCON's list accepts titers in place of the two MMR doses, the three hepatitis B doses and the two varicella doses. Tdap works differently: you need a documented dose within the last 10 years, and a Tdap waiver is not considered, so a missing record means getting the dose.
Is the COVID-19 vaccine required for UofM clinicals?
Not by LCON, which lists it as optional. A clinical partner can still set its own requirement, because site rules depend on the contract between each site and LCON. Check the site's onboarding requirements before you commit to a rotation there, especially at a hospital system.
What if my TB test expires during a rotation?
Renew it before the rotation starts. LCON wants each renewal date to reach past the end of the placement, so a TB result that lapses mid-practicum breaks the rule even if it was valid on day one. An absence caused by an expired document is unexcused, which is a risk worth avoiding in any practicum course.
Related pages
Last checked 2026-09-27
We check these pages against UofM's 2026-27 catalog, the LCON Academic Bulletin, program pages and licensure disclosures. Your clinical faculty and your plan of study have the final word.
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