Pre-Nursing school immunization catastrophe!

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I want other people to know what happened to me, so the same does not happen for them!

When I received my nursing school admission, [of course] there was a long list of immunizations that I had to obtain before school started. I am 38 years old, so who knows where my shot records are from when I was a child, and I wasn't going to pay for the titers so I went to my local health department and sat down with a nurse, showed her my list of shots, and we came up with a plan to get them all done.

I couldn't get all the shots at once because of cost and because some of the shots had to have multiple shots spread out over 28 days. The first day I received some of my shots and left with a calendar of when I was to get the rest of them.

Long story short is the nurse messed up. I went to get my (first) TB test yesterday and a different nurse told me that it was too close to my recent MMR. In to get the two TB tests and my second MMR, I would have taken me past the deadline to have everything done. My school has a zero tolerance for late items. The advisor at my school told me I would have to give up my spot in the program :cry:.

We came up with an alternative, for me to get a chest X-ray (ILO the TB test itself). I don't have insurance so this is an expensive option, but I don't have any other choice.

I should have been more educated about my program requirements - I don't blame anyone but myself; hopefully, I can share my knowledge so other people know as well.

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Did anyone mention taking a titers test to determine any specific antibody presence to MMR, Varicella, TDaP, HBV, etc...? A simple blood test can determine which immunizations you would or would not need to get. Especially the HepB, its a series of 3 & takes total of 6mos. to complete. I just wnt through it because I am in the middle of getting my CPT1 Phlebotomy cert. & license in CA, and have to show proof of all the above mentioned plus 2x TB tests so I can begin my Clinicals. I hope this helps. Best of luck to you!!! EndocrineMD2B CA

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Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.

Titers can be expensive, depending on which titer you get. I used to work in a community health center that drew lots of varicella titers for immigration physicals (we did those there) and they were upwards of $100 out of pocket.

I am surprised that people who place PPDs on a regular basis don't know that you have to separate a PPD from an MMR by 28 days. Sorry that happened to you. :(

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Specializes in Peds PACU & Peds Psych.

My schools wants proof of vaccines AND titers (I guess to "prove" that the vaccines worked?) for the Hep B and Varicella. It seems kind of overkill, but I was able to get my titers done for about $20 per test at my local health clinic. Not sure what state you're in or anything, but around here (GA) the public health clinics are always a good place to start. When I was comparing MMR vaccine prices (I ended up not needing it because I apparently already had it, but anyway) the private clinic was $130 and the public health clinic was only $15!

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I had to get blood work done to see if I was immune because my doctor did not have my shot records. I did the 2 PPDs and I hade the MMR in the past, but I still need to get a tetenus, hep B, and one other, but I am currently pregnant so I had the doctor write me a note. So I got out of them for now :)

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I agree with EndocrineMD2B...why don't you just get a titer test done. I am also a "mature student" who had no idea where my immunization record was when I was accepted into nursing school. I went to my primary care and for the cost of an office visit got my titer done. As for the Hep B shots I've been through two complete cycles and I still have not "converted". Apparently there is a segment of the population for which the Hep B series doesn't take.

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.

Not all insurance companies will pay for titers, especially if they are not medically necessary (requirment for entry into school is not medically necessary). Titers are significantly more expensive than getting revaccinated. Not all public health departments offer reduced cost titers, and it appears the original poster's health depatment does not (as that is where she went to inquire about titers and vaccines) As the original poster stated in the first post, the titers were cost prohibitive and out of her budget range.

I'm sorry this happened to you. Perhaps your story can help others.

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Did anyone mention taking a titers test to determine any specific antibody presence to MMR, Varicella, TDaP, HBV, etc...? A simple blood test can determine which immunizations you would or would not need to get. Especially the HepB, its a series of 3 & takes total of 6mos. to complete. I just wnt through it because I am in the middle of getting my CPT1 Phlebotomy cert. & license in CA, and have to show proof of all the above mentioned plus 2x TB tests so I can begin my Clinicals. I hope this helps. Best of luck to you!!! EndocrineMD2B CA

The titers were mentioned but I live in a smaller town so the one hospital has the monopoly on providing them and they are $250 for the MMR. They also told me that since it has been decades :( since I was immunized as a child that there is a possibility I could spend all of that money and still have to get the vaccines. Rather than driving to Vegas 2 1/2 hours away to save a couple bucks on a titer that may or may not work, I just elected to go with the vaccine

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Specializes in Med/Surg/Tele.
My schools wants proof of vaccines AND titers (I guess to "prove" that the vaccines worked?) for the Hep B and Varicella. It seems kind of overkill, but I was able to get my titers done for about $20 per test at my local health clinic. Not sure what state you're in or anything, but around here (GA) the public health clinics are always a good place to start. When I was comparing MMR vaccine prices (I ended up not needing it because I apparently already had it, but anyway) the private clinic was $130 and the public health clinic was only $15!

It is interesting how different things are from state to state. I live in MA. There are no public health clinics anywhere near me so I just went to my regular Dr. Office. I am unemployed and have no health insurance so I had to pay out of pocket for all of my school vaccines. The titers for MMR and Varicella would have cost me a little over $1000 out of pocket. The MMR vaccine is free and the Varicella is $93 per shot. The Hep B vaccine is $51 per shot.

During my first visit I had my physical, TB test, and first shot each for MMR, Varicella and Hep B. I had to take a pregnancy test before they would give me the MMR and Varicella to prove I was not pregnant.

When everything is said and done, I will have spent significantly less money by just getting each vaccine series again than if I had paid for the titers.

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Specializes in Med/Surg/Tele.
Titers can be expensive, depending on which titer you get. I used to work in a community health center that drew lots of varicella titers for immigration physicals (we did those there) and they were upwards of $100 out of pocket.

I am surprised that people who place PPDs on a regular basis don't know that you have to separate a PPD from an MMR by 28 days. Sorry that happened to you. :(

I had my PPD as well as the first in the series of MMR, Varicella and Hep B all done on the same day. My second shot of each was done yesterday which was 29 days after the first visit. what exactly happens when you do not separate MMR and the PPD by 28 days?

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.
I had my PPD as well as the first in the series of MMR, Varicella and Hep B all done on the same day. My second shot of each was done yesterday which was 29 days after the first visit. what exactly happens when you do not separate MMR and the PPD by 28 days?

It can affect your response to the PPD giving a false result.

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Since my school is affiliated with a large healthcare system, we can go to Employee Health at the hospital and get everything done for free. I'm guessing since I have to have a CXR in lieu of the PPD I'll have to pay for that (my current one was still valid for school admission) when the time comes but I'm thankful that everything else is free.

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