Records Retention - Contact Cards & Vax

[jnemartin, BSN, RN]

If your state requires paper-copy contact cards to be updated annually, how long do you retain past contact cards, or do you shred the old one each year? I'm in Arizona and can't find a good answer to this.

Also, it makes sense to retain past paper consents, screenings, incident reports, admin records, action plans, health records/excusals... but what about outdated immunization records - do you guys keep everything or shred the old one as it's updated?

[k1p1ssk, BSN, RN]

I keep all of it! You never know when someone might come looking for it (whatever it is!).

I found this chart, which goes state by state, the retention lengths for Medical records of MDs and Hospitals. The time for Massachusetts is consistent with what I've been told. I feel like, you could go by this and be safe.

[Eleven011]

I keep everything and then when kids graduate, I print a fresh new immunization report and give them their entire file. They (or parents) can do with it what they please.

[jnemartin, BSN, RN]

16 minutes ago, k1p1ssk said:

I keep all of it! You never know when someone might come looking for it (whatever it is!).

I found this chart, which goes state by state, the retention lengths for Medical records of MDs and Hospitals. The time for Massachusetts is consistent with what I've been told. I feel like, you could go by this and be safe.

thank you! I have something similar posted on my wall (from the previous SN) that addresses specific school documents like attendance records, rosters, all kinds of stuff... but of course the medical records section is totally vague.

9 minutes ago, Eleven011 said:

I keep everything and then when kids graduate, I print a fresh new immunization report and give them their entire file. They (or parents) can do with it what they please.

that's a god idea! currently, we only have vax records in paper form and don't get many requests for copies from parents/students. but supposedly we are getting SNAP and will be able to digitize the vax records, so that's great!