Okay, this is probably going to sound like a very dumb concern, but here goes:
I am in the process of completing all of the required background/health checks for admissions to my nursing program this fall. I notice on the physical form there is a section devoted to immunizations. Some of the immunization blanks require childhood immunization record (ie, the required shot should have been given in my childhood and the blank requires the date of the shot).
Here is my problem--I only ever saw my "family doctor" regularly when I was a little kid (under 10 years old). Since that time about 15 years has passed and his office has closed. He would be the one to have administered my immunizations... how the heck do I track down a record of them?
Is this something that my highschool (I'm 26 now) would still have on record? What happens if you just plain can't find/obtain a copy of your childhood immunizations?
I'm hoping someone out there may have run into a similar problem and can explain how this will work for me. I know it's silly but I'm really stressing about this because I thought my due date for my checks was June 1st and it's not, it's May 1st, which means I have to get this done and get it done quickly.
Thanks SO MUCH for sharing all of your experiences!!! I'm really glad I asked here at the forums; reading all of your responses has made me feel a lot better.
Tomorrow is Monday... so at least I'll finally be able to stop simply worrying and actually accomplish something. I think I'll talk to my nursing school first thing and see which option they prefer, if any. Personally I think having the doctor do the bloodwork seems like the simplest method.
Not that this is any riveting drama here, but I'll update this soon with what the final outcome was... just for those of you who were so kind as to reply. Thanks again everyone! :)
May I ask what school you'll be going to? I just got accepted at HACC to start this fall.
Sara
Heya gchickie! Close, but no bullseye I'll be going to the School of Nursing at Reading Hospital (Reading PA). It's ashame we're not going to the same place... it would have been nice to already have met a classmate. Best of luck on your education though... I hope to see you around the forums :)
As for the whole epic adventure for my immunizations, I called the school of nursing today and made sure that it would be cool for me to have it checked with blood titers. It was--and the school nurse was REALLY nice and even advised me to just state that I must have had the polio vaccine as a child since I attended US public schools. So I ended up getting two titers drawn (for chicken pox and hep b) and 2 shots. It wasn't so bad in the end... the worst part was that the whole process cost me considerably more than it would have had I had my records.
Thanks again to everyone who replied!!! I think I'm going to make the deadline no problem now :) *fingers crossed*
I did the titer thing with my nursing school physical also. I'm glad I did, because even after 4 babies (having blood drawn each time for titers and immunities), I came back with a negative titer for Rubella. A nice shot fixed that, but does make me wonder if I wasn't immune during my pregnancies, or just needed a booster. I would have THOUGHT my CNM would have told me if it was negative, so after delivery I could have had a booster, but????
Anyway, it's also a good time to start the Hep B series if your school/clinical sites require it. I had to have 2 of the 3 shots done before clincal started. I just had my labs drawn for that to see if I'm now immune, and it still says no. Grrrrrr......
I did the titer thing with my nursing school physical also. I'm glad I did, because even after 4 babies (having blood drawn each time for titers and immunities), I came back with a negative titer for Rubella. A nice shot fixed that, but does make me wonder if I wasn't immune during my pregnancies, or just needed a booster. I would have THOUGHT my CNM would have told me if it was negative, so after delivery I could have had a booster, but????
Anyway, it's also a good time to start the Hep B series if your school/clinical sites require it. I had to have 2 of the 3 shots done before clincal started. I just had my labs drawn for that to see if I'm now immune, and it still says no. Grrrrrr......
I have the 2 out of 3 requirement for the Hep B series also. However, about 3 years ago I actually got the series as a requirement for a non-nursing job. I called the occupational health provider who gave me the shots to try to get proof my immunization, but they've yet to call me back. I'm really hoping that my Hep B titer comes back showing immunity (as it should); if not, you're right on and I'm going to have to rush to get the series done. At the moment I have 4 bandaids on my arms so I'll just keep my fingers crossed
Careful about asking them to draw titers!!!! I had to have all my records given to the school. I never got a veracella vaccine because I had the chickenpox when I was little. Because I never got the vaccine, they told me I needed to prove my my immunity so I had a titer drawn. It turns out my insurance doesn't pay for titers. The one test cost me over two-hundred dollars...
I have the 2 out of 3 requirement for the Hep B series also. However, about 3 years ago I actually got the series as a requirement for a non-nursing job. I called the occupational health provider who gave me the shots to try to get proof my immunization, but they've yet to call me back. I'm really hoping that my Hep B titer comes back showing immunity (as it should); if not, you're right on and I'm going to have to rush to get the series done. At the moment I have 4 bandaids on my arms so I'll just keep my fingers crossed
Careful about asking them to draw titers!!!! I had to have all my records given to the school. I never got a veracella vaccine because I had the chickenpox when I was little. Because I never got the vaccine, they told me I needed to prove my my immunity so I had a titer drawn. It turns out my insurance doesn't pay for titers. The one test cost me over two-hundred dollars...
OMG, I know what you mean. I went to a walk-in clinic (read between the lines: cheap) and it still cost me $250.00 for the exam and shots/tb test. Next I was sent with my little prescription to Omega for bloodwork. Another $90.00 there for the titers, CBC etc. Hopefully the titers will come up the way I need and I won't need a chest x-ray for the tb test... I'm paying this all out of pocket and it's really starting to hurt!
It only took a few days but it depends how long your lab will take. In the meantime he wrote that waiting on lab work and filled out the rest of the paper. I now have additional paperwork which shows what shots that I did have.
Pasha :)
Jen and Pasha--
In your cases, what did your doctor write on the school's immunization form for the blanks where childhood immunizations are required? Did he just notate something stating that you showed resistance and had therefore been immunized? Just out of curiousity (and since I'm pressed for time to complete this stuff), I'm wondering how long this process took? Did he check the resistance right there as you waited or did you have to wait for blood work to come back? Thanks so much for bringing this option up! Hearing how others managed to get through the same situation really helps. From looking at the way the form is set up I would have never thought the school would accept something like that.
It always seems like when some horrible revelation or deadline comes up, it happens on a weekend and none of the places that I need to call are open. I can't wait until monday to get this straightened out. I could kill myself for confusing my deadlines, I feel like a total moron.
Okay, this is probably going to sound like a very dumb concern, but here goes:
I am in the process of completing all of the required background/health checks for admissions to my nursing program this fall. I notice on the physical form there is a section devoted to immunizations. Some of the immunization blanks require childhood immunization record (ie, the required shot should have been given in my childhood and the blank requires the date of the shot).
Here is my problem--I only ever saw my "family doctor" regularly when I was a little kid (under 10 years old). Since that time about 15 years has passed and his office has closed. He would be the one to have administered my immunizations... how the heck do I track down a record of them?
Is this something that my highschool (I'm 26 now) would still have on record? What happens if you just plain can't find/obtain a copy of your childhood immunizations?
I'm hoping someone out there may have run into a similar problem and can explain how this will work for me. I know it's silly but I'm really stressing about this because I thought my due date for my checks was June 1st and it's not, it's May 1st, which means I have to get this done and get it done quickly.
Thanks for any advice
Don't feel bad, you're not alone. I'm 42, Husbands retired military, parents are in their 80's, and I can't find mine either. I did go to my advisor and she said to have titters done for mmr, tb, and varicella(what ever that is) and theyen have a doc sign and verify, the results. It may reqiure bossters for some. It may not be the same every where so I would go speak to my advisor. Good Luck!
I had this happen to me as well...15 years out of school...and family doctor retired..... It was cheaper to just get immunized again,forget all the stress with tring to locate those past records and just go to the health dept and get it done again.
Excellent info! I faced the same problem. I am from another country and before coming to the US in 1996 my family moved a lot throughout Europe, so my parents dont have any of my immunization records. I had no idea you could take care of this problem with blood work. I emailed my doctor today, explaining the situation and requested that she order the blood work for me. Thanks everyone, for the invaluable information! :heartbeat
I'll be going to the School of Nursing at Reading Hospital (Reading PA). It's ashame we're not going to the same place... it would have been nice to already have met a classmate. Best of luck on your education though... I hope to see you around the forums :)
:heartbeat
Luciole
26 Posts
Thanks SO MUCH for sharing all of your experiences!!! I'm really glad I asked here at the forums; reading all of your responses has made me feel a lot better.
Tomorrow is Monday... so at least I'll finally be able to stop simply worrying and actually accomplish something. I think I'll talk to my nursing school first thing and see which option they prefer, if any. Personally I think having the doctor do the bloodwork seems like the simplest method.
Not that this is any riveting drama here, but I'll update this soon with what the final outcome was... just for those of you who were so kind as to reply. Thanks again everyone! :)