Hep B Vaccine Question

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Hi guys,

I'm going to start Drexel's accelerated nursing program in April 2019, and clinicals are supposed to start early April.

I already got the Hep B series in 1999-2000, which means I was about 3 or 4 years old at the time. I have not gotten the titer done yet, but the program says I am supposed to provide proof of a positive titer.

Now I'm getting worried because it's about 4 months away from the program and I just realized I have to get this titer done. Is it likely that this could come back negative? Would that mean I need to complete the series all over again? :o

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Hi guys,

I'm going to start Drexel's accelerated nursing program in April 2019, and clinicals are supposed to start early April.

I already got the Hep B series in 1999-2000, which means I was about 3 or 4 years old at the time. I have not gotten the titer done yet, but the program says I am supposed to provide proof of a positive titer.

Now I'm getting worried because it's about 4 months away from the program and I just realized I have to get this titer done. Is it likely that this could come back negative? Would that mean I need to complete the series all over again? :o

Yup. My titer for mumps came back negative before school started. And I had the shots when I was a tiny fellow. I had to do two shots a week apart and barely made the deadline.

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It's certainly possible. We had several people come back with negative titers for some of the vaccines they got as children. I had to redo my Hep B series and my MMR.

I'd check out your program's requirements. Mine just required people to get the first shot in the series of three before the start of the program. They were able to continue to get the rest of the series while doing the program and going to clinicals.

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Thanks for responding. I ordered the titer so I'll probably get it done Friday morning. Ugh I'm scared.

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It depends on your program, I believe. I had a titer done for my MMR as I was missing my records showing I'd had more than one as a child. My titer came back showing no immunity to measles, but they only required one shot, not two, and I don't have to prove I am now immune.

With Hep B, they require a positive titer (again, missing a record showing my 2nd shot), don't actually care how many I've had, and if I come back as not immune, I get the series again-but it doesn't prevent me from doing clinicals. I have to sign off saying I'm currently a non-responder and accept the risks. If someone still isn't immune after a second series, they do the same, sign off on it. Apparently it's more common than one might think. I'm hoping to find out about mine today! :D

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

No reason to be scared, not everyone comes back as neg as an adult. If you do talk to your school you may be able to do clinicals as long as you have started the series.

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