Help please!! Hep B Immunizations?!

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Wondering if anyone could help me...

I begin my Nursing Program at the end of August. As excited as I am to start, I'm also a nervous wreck with getting everything in line.. to include all of my vaccination titers. With that being said, on Jan. 31st I found out I would have to start the Hep B vaccines because I did not have the vaccines when I was younger. I started them Feb. 7th and was told by the pharmacist at Walgreens that I would get my third shot, mid June. Knowing nothing about this 3 shot series... I was relieved because my Nursing Packet needs to be handed in no later than the 25th of July. As time went on and I received my second shot in March, I read that the third shot needs to actually be administered 6 months after the first... Which would be in August!! All I need to hand in is documentation of the titer. Nothing else. Is it possible that if I get a titer drawn up now it will show immunity greater than 10 mIU/ml? I feel so numb right now... totally bummed that I may not be able to start now in the Fall... I also can't help but be upset with the pharmacist and the SCHOOL! I wish I would have known sooner than Jan. 31st that I needed these done by the due date of July 25th!@#$%^& Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!!!

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For most cases as long as you started your series and will have them completed in a timely manner it shouldn't deter you from starting nursing school in the fall. Which is the case for my school and the surrounding programs near me. So my advice for you would be to speak to the people who deal with health records within your program and tell them you have started the series and won't have it finish until August.

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Thank you for your reply.. Honesty is always the best policy. Just worried I'm not going to like what they say.

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Every school is different...but some programs allow you to start as long as you show documentation that you started the series. I would talk to your admissions counselor about this.

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Are you sure the series has to be completed? For my program, you have to have started the series. I'd contact the school to get that cleared up.

I would also check with your health care provider. I started my Hep B series in March, and my final shot is scheduled for August.

And of course you can get your titers drawn and see what happens.

Good luck.

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Specializes in retired LTC.

Make sure you keep your own copies of the immunization series. You never know when you might need evidence of having done the series. Esp important if you consider a job in some healthcare facility as you move along in your career/studies.

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Specializes in Community and Public Health, Addictions Nursing.

Ah, immunizations. One of my biggest loves in nursing.

First, definitely check with your school about guidelines for the nursing packet. Like others said, many schools will accept vaccine records as long as you've at least started the process for all required vaccines. Vaccines have their own timetables to completion that can't be rushed. Sometimes, a note from the provider who is giving you the vaccines can help explain this if the school gives you a hard time. Especially in the case of Hep B, occasionally the first series doesn't take, and then a person needs to re-do it a second time. Sometimes it never does take, even after a repeat. That doesn't mean these individuals are never allowed to complete nursing school. Additionally, when it comes to post-Hep B vaccine testing, this should occur 1-2 months after completion of the vaccine series. So, long story short, you're going to need some time.

About the vaccine series...for Hep B, the ideal schedule is three doses at 0, 1, and 6 months. However, if you do it by minimum spacing intervals between doses, it takes less than six months. In this case, the second dose needs to happen at least 4 weeks after the first, and the third dose needs to happen at least 8 weeks after the second AND 16 weeks after the first. This creates a three dose schedule of 0, 1, and 4 months. So, the pharmacist was ok in saying mid-June for the last dose. You can find more info here:

http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p3076.pdf

Adult Immunization Schedule by Vaccine and Age Group | CDC

I hope this helps!

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. Especially in the case of Hep B, occasionally the first series doesn't take, and then a person needs to re-do it a second time. Sometimes it never does take, even after a repeat. That doesn't mean these individuals are never allowed to complete nursing school. Additionally, when it comes to post-Hep B vaccine testing, this should occur 1-2 months after completion of the vaccine series. So, long story short, you're going to need some time.

It's worth mentioning along with that information that many people, LOTS convert to an immune status after just TWO shots. Protocol where I work is to get first shot, then a month later the second shot and then a month after that draw titers. Most of those will convert with just the two and don't even need the third! No point in vaccinating more once immune after all :)

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It's worth mentioning along with that information that many people, LOTS convert to an immune status after just TWO shots. Protocol where I work is to get first shot, then a month later the second shot and then a month after that draw titers. Most of those will convert with just the two and don't even need the third! No point in vaccinating more once immune after all :)

That's how it was for me- 2 shots and then a titer showed that I was immune. Now I just get titers drawn.

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