LPN/LVN schools with Hepatitis B

[jmand2]

Hi, Does anyone know if it is legal for a nursing school to bar you from entrance due to being Hep B positive? I have contacted a school in Portland, Or and was told I had to show Hep B immunity to attend. I contacted the state nursing board and the said it Hep B would not stop you from being employed as an LPN, so it seems odd that a school could deny you training. Thanks for any info!

[malestunurse]

That isn't really enough information and yes they probably can.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

You can show Hep B immunity by having completed the three-injection vaccination series. You can also display Hep B immunity by having a blood titer drawn to show that you are immune.

Schools cannot ban prospective students or refuse to enroll them for testing positive for hepatitis B. However, schools can refuse to enroll students for not displaying immunity to hepatitis B through either the titer or the vaccination series.

[that_judi_girl]

I guess it depends on if the school is "equal opportunity" and does not descriminate based on race, creed, religion, etc or DISABILITY. a disability can be an chronic illness or disease for which reasonable accommodations can be made. With that being said - would you want to go to a school that doesn't want you? Find another school.

[cemisciagna1]

I think there is a difference between Hep B surface antigen and surface antibody. I would check which one they are testing for. One tests for immunity and one tests for the diseae. If they are testing for the immunity why do you need to tell them about being Hep B positive. You aren't going to be sharing needles or having sex with your patients.