MMR titers came back neg--uh-oh

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Ahhhh! My MMR titers came back negative! I know I had both doses as a kid but apparently they didn't take. Of course that makes it so that I will only have one does before the start of class.

Has anyone else had this problem? It says that I need two doses (and I will be getting them of course) but my second dose will not come until after classes begin. Will I have to sit out a semester or do you all think I will be allowed to start clinicals given I will have had this first dose before the start of class?

I don't know what I'm going to do, I'm beside myself right now....

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Specializes in L&D.

A girl in our class had her rubella titer come back negative, and she had no trouble starting clinicals. She just had to be in the process of getting the vaccines to be allowed in the hospital.

I would check with your administrators, hopefully it's not a problem.

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You know, I have had a MMR shot 4 times now- and it still won't take!

I am a freak of nature!

Ask your nursing chair about the clinical situation. I only provided the info that I had the vaccinations and have been participating in my clinicals (because I will probably NEVER build an immunity to that MMR!).

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Specializes in Maternal - Child Health.

Was it measles, mumps, rubella or all 3 that were negative? The reason I ask is that you can receive separate vaccine(s) if not all 3 titres are low, preventing you from being exposed to the risk of an unnecessary vaccine.

I had 2 MMRs as a child, but turned up negative for measles in nursing school. No problem, I just had to be re-vaccinated. Didn't have to sit out any clinicals :)

When I started my first job, I turned up negative again. Another measles vaccine.

When I underwent infertility treatments, I turned up negative again. Another measles vaccine.

When I applied to a nurse refresher program this year, I turned up negative again. Another measles vaccine.

If it happens again, I will try to "opt" out of the vaccine, as it apparently simply doesn't work for me.

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Thank you all for your replies! I was going to check with my highschool to see if they had my records (my house burnt down when I was a teenager so I lost all my records) but I decided to go ahead and get the titers done thinking it would save me the hassle of dealing with the high school and lo and behold it was negative for all three. well, mumps came back "boarderline".

I'm in the middle of a divorce and so much depends upon me starting on schedule, I really don't know what I would do if they didn't allow me to start.

Again thanks for your replies, I'm a little more at ease now, rather than the puddle of tears I was when I came across the "two doses" listed in my paperwork. First thing Monday morning I'll visit the school director and see what can be done.

Thanks again.

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First of all, contact your school immediately to find out what their policy is regarding this matter.

Second, are you starting clinicals right away, or do you have a period of clinical lab before you start going to clinical sites? If you have a period of lab (in many schools, it's about 4 weeks), you might still be OK. MMR doses have to be administered no less than 28 days apart:

http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/combo-vaccines/mmr/faqs-mmr-hcp.htm

Regardless, call your school on Monday and speak with the person (nurse, doctor) who handles incoming student vaccination compliance.

Good luck!

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Second, are you starting clinicals right away, or do you have a period of clinical lab before you start going to clinical sites? If you have a period of lab (in many schools, it's about 4 weeks), you might still be OK.

I just checked my syllabus, it appears as though clinical orientation won't start until late September, that would give me more than the 28 days needed between doses.

Someone from my class suggested I go ahead and get the records from my high school and submit them as though I didn't have the titers and get the vaccine as planned. I don't feel right about that all and think it would be just the same as lying. Edited to clarify that this is not an option I am or would ever consider. Not that anyone assumed so, I'm just sayin' :)

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Specializes in Maternal - Child Health.
I just checked my syllabus, it appears as though clinical orientation won't start until late September, that would give me more than the 28 days needed between doses.

Someone from my class suggested I go ahead and get the records from my high school and submit them as though I didn't have the titers and get the vaccine as planned. I don't feel right about that all and think it would be just the same as lying.

I agree. You now know that you lack immunity to 3 diseases that have potentially devastating effects to non-immune patients, including pregnancy loss, birth defects, and male sterility. It would be morally and ethically wrong to knowingly take that chance.

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Get the boosters, immunity fades in lots of people as they age it's just that most people don't ever know about it because they have no occasion to get tested like NS. I had to have Rubella again because it came back "equivocal" meaning my immunity was low, and we have Peds this semester...they are the ones who really care about your immune status,so our Dean suggested I go ahead and do it. I only needed the one shot since I still had some immunity. You are right about lying too, it would only potentially hurt you or a pt to lie, and being honest is part of being a good nurse!:redbeathe

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There was a four year period in the late 60's/early 70's that the vacines were ineffective. I caught German measles because of it. In our state you have to prove immunity or retake the vacinations before you could graduate. Maybe you fell in this gap.

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There was a four year period in the late 60's/early 70's that the vacines were ineffective. I caught German measles because of it. In our state you have to prove immunity or retake the vacinations before you could graduate. Maybe you fell in this gap.

Born in '67...totally my group of peeps! But you know, I had to have my MMR redone in 1988 too, before I married my hubby...you would think that one would have worked!:chuckle

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

I had the mumps AND the measles as a child. But my titers came back negative. All I needed for my NS program was one booster.:cry:

Also, in the early 1990's I completed the HEP B series. THAT titer came back negative as well. So I did one booster for the Hep B, and my NS called it good.:cry:

It is what it is. As long as students in my NS were completing whatever series of injections they needed, the hospitals allowed them to participate in clinicals.:up:

There are so many hoops to jump through to get into nursing school, but it is oohh so worth it!!:nurse:

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