What to do about physical....

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Hi everyone! I got a huge packet from my nursing school today!! I was going through everything, and I am kinda at a loss as what to do for my physical. I do not have a doctor, or health insurance. The only doctors I have ever had were my ped. and my ob/gyn when I had my son. So, who do I go to? Can I just get a regular physical at a walk-in clinic?

Also, in this packet it gives the name of a book to order for school, and says to have the first 10 chapters read by the first day of class!!

Ouch! :)

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Specializes in Peri-op/Sub-Acute ANP.

You can probably go to one of those walk-in clinicals to get your physical done. Mostly, they only take cash anyway, so no insurance won't be a problem for them.

However, no health insurance may be a problem for your school. I know mine insists that you have it or you can't do clinicals. If you have no other means of getting it they will provide it, but it is expensive!

Re: the 10 chapters - welcome to NS!

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Paying for it all yourself can get very expensive. You will have to pay for several visits to the walk in clinic, you will have to pay for titres, plus they might charge extra for the forms they will have to sign for you for school. Mantoux test can be $15-$30, Hep B vaccinations if u need over a $100, Varicella $75 etc etc.

So i suggest you shop around a bit, for what will cost you least. For example, the clinic i went to waived the fees for signing the forms, for the mantoux, and for varicella. They would have waived Hep B, if they carried it, but they didnt, and i had to go buy it at a pharmacy. It really helped to have those fees waived.

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I went to a walk in clinic - I too have no doctor or insurance. It was only $29 plus $7 for a U/A - if you need bloodwork done (H&H) give yourself extra time. Don't wait till the last minute. Good luck.

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You guys are great!!

Thanks!!

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I paid about $350 out of pocket to have a physical, titers done, drug screen, and TB test. I also paid $99 to have the Hep B immunization. I went to a walk in clinic (the kind that caters to workman comp claims).

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Specializes in Ortho, Neuro, Detox, Tele.

My school carried health insurance to cover us while we were at clinicals, but we were required to sign that we were liable for our own health while at clinicals.....It covered mistakes we made or patient injury, but not our own health....

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Specializes in ED.

Yeah, I thought you had to have insurance to go to clinical, or sign a waiver thing?? not sure, as I do have it. I would try to get it before starting school though. Who knows what you could get while in school and you would need the extra protection of insurance.

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Yea, believe you me...I would love to have insurance..but at my husband's work it is $90/week..and we just can not afford that. I don't qualify for any kind of state insurance, so let us just all hope and pray that I don't catch anything!!! :.\

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Specializes in NICU.

See if your school has a clinic on campus. A lot of them do and the prices range from very affordable to free. At my school an exam didn't cost anything and lab work/immunizations were at cost, or even less, I suspect.

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Check with your health department.

I did not have health insurance when I got mine last year, and if it's for SCHOOL (yes, even college) they will do the physical and any required immunizations/TB test for FREE!

My favorite price!

TIP: Schedule it ASAP by appointment...you usually cannot do a walk-in physical. Remember, tons of summer camps, sports camps, everyone is getting them this time of year.

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Check with your local health department. Mine offers health care on a sliding scale based on income and they do many of the physicals for my fellow nursing students.

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