More eek over titers/vax

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Specializes in Maternal Child.

Hey everyone,

So looking at the clearances I need it looks like there may be one hiccup. My Hep B. i have my old shot record booklet from 30+ years ago, and there is no mention of Hep B. my father was in the military, so we lived a few years overseas. I honestly have mo idea if I have ever had this vax. My mother is deceased and my father is out of the country an would be clueless anyway. Do you know when it became mandatory for school children to have this series of vax? I talked to the school health center and they think I might be allowed to start the series and enter the program. I am thinking o getting a titer and seeing if I can immediately start the series. Any input would be great! Thanks again!

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Specializes in NICU.

I did not have my immunization records and my pediatrician had died 25 yrs ago. I had the nurse practitioner that I work for order a blood test for MMR, chickenpox, and Hepatitis B. The Hepatitis B Serology test is: Hepatitis B Core Ab (IgM). That will tell if you are immune to it or have not received the vaccine.

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In ny experience with schools of nursing, you could start the series and be allowed to enter school and participate in clinicals without having completed the series (since it takes six months to complete).

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Specializes in Maternal Child.
In ny experience with schools of nursing, you could start the series and be allowed to enter school and participate in clinicals without having completed the series (since it takes six months to complete).

Thanks! I was a bit worried, when I called the student health center, the person that I spoke to said, "hmm, that's a really good question!" which can sometimes mean, "I don't have an answer." She believe that I can start the series and enter the program. I am thinking if this was a super big deal, I would have heard about it before, right? Anyway, I am not sure if I can do this, but I think I will have my doctore perform the titer, and then start the series in the same day, if possible.

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.

To answer your other question, Hep B vaccine became available in 1982 and it was the mid 1990's that routine pediatric vaccination for Hep B began (as per the CDC website: Achievements in Public Health: Hepatitis B Vaccination --- United States, 1982--2002 )

The policy of my nursing school was titer before admission if previously vaccinated. If not previously vaccinated, the first two shots were required before you could register for a course with a direct patient contact/clinical. If your titer was low/not-immune, then one needed to either receive a new series or booster (depending on your private physician's recommendation; I needed a booster as my titers were previously immune) before clinical rotations. With titers completed at the appropriate time.

This policy is often done in conjunction with the requirements of the various clinical facilities.

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Specializes in Maternal Child.
To answer your other question, Hep B vaccine became available in 1982 and it was the mid 1990's that routine pediatric vaccination for Hep B began (as per the CDC website: Achievements in Public Health: Hepatitis B Vaccination --- United States, 1982--2002 )

The policy of my nursing school was titer before admission if previously vaccinated. If not previously vaccinated, the first two shots were required before you could register for a course with a direct patient contact/clinical. If your titer was low/not-immune, then one needed to either receive a new series or booster (depending on your private physician's recommendation; I needed a booster as my titers were previously immune) before clinical rotations. With titers completed at the appropriate time.

This policy is often done in conjunction with the requirements of the various clinical facilities.

Thank you for the info. I was able to track down a student handbook online at it says that I can either decline or start the series if I cannot prove vaccination history or immunity. I will definitely start the series. Thanks again!

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It isn't so much a school thing (I mean, you do have to have it for school) but hospitals require it.. We have to have proof of a titer that was less than 5 years old or start the series. Round 1 hand to be done before you could go to clinicals.

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I came across a similar situation in which I HAD had the vaccination series but for some reason showed up as I was negative for the immunization. I began my series and was also allowed to start school/clinical's at that same time. But it may be different for me because after the second series, I still tested negative for the immunization. They say it happens sometimes???

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Specializes in Maternal Child.
I came across a similar situation in which I HAD had the vaccination series but for some reason showed up as I was negative for the immunization. I began my series and was also allowed to start school/clinical's at that same time. But it may be different for me because after the second series, I still tested negative for the immunization. They say it happens sometimes???

Reading more about it, I found info saying that you should only do the titer 1-2 months after the 3rd shot in the series, otherwise, it is unlikely to show up. So if it has been a long time since you had the vax, and needed to show immunity, it is often recommended (CDC guideline) to actually get a 2nd series done, and then do the titer 1-2 months after the last shot, holding on to that documentation so you don't have to go through the process again :wacky:

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