Admission and Annual Compliance | Other Compliance Requirements | Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

Admission and Annual Compliance

Drug Testing

For more information on the Drug Testing Policy, click here.

TB Skin Test/Immunizations

All applicants must submit a tuberculin skin test and evidence of immunity to certain communicable diseases (i.e. MMR). The student is responsible for all costs involved. Once admitted to the School of Nursing, annual tuberculin skin tests are required and may be obtained from UMMC Employee and Student Health. If a tuberculin test is obtained from another health care provider, the student must provide evidence of valid test results to UMMC Employee and Student Health annually.

Influenza Vaccination

All students must be vaccinated annually against influenza in advance of the flu season unless they are eligible for and have an approved medical contraindication or an approved religious restriction. Proof must be provided to UMMC Employee and Student Health annually by the established deadline. To view the policy, click here.

Hepatitis B

Students admitted to the School of Nursing must provide proof of completion of a 2-dose (Heplisav-B) or 3-dose (Engerix-B or Recombivax-B) hepatitis B vaccine series and the results of a hepatitis B surface antibody test. The hepatitis B surface anti body titer must be performed at least 30 days after completing the hepatitis B vaccine series. Evidence of immunization is submitted to the Office of Employee and Student Health upon admission. The immunizations and surface antibody titer are available from Employee and Student Health at the Medical Center. The student must complete the series as prescribed to continue enrollment in the program. The student must also provide Employee and Student Health at the Medical Center evidence of complete Hepatitis B immunization if the series is completed by another health care provider.

CPR Certification

Students are required to submit evidence of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation certification (CPR) as a BLS Health Care Provider (American Heart Association) to the School of Nursing. Students in the Traditional and Accelerated BSN programs must show evidence of CPR certification by orientation preceding the first semester of the program. Students in the RN to BSN, RN to MSN, MSN, PMN, and post-baccalaureate DNP programs must show evidence of CPR certification prior to beginning any clinical, practicum, or residency courses. This certification must be maintained throughout enrollment in the School of Nursing if the student is enrolled in clinical or practicum courses. Note: This requirement is program specific and students enrolled in the Nursing and Health Care Administrator track, Post-Master’s DNP or the PhD in Nursing program are NOT required to meet this requirement.

Health Insurance

Health insurance is mandatory for all students enrolled at UMMC. Health Insurance and disability insurance are available through the University of Mississippi Medical Center.

Liability Insurance

All students are required to have professional liability insurance in place during all clinical, practicum, and residency experiences. Please note: All nurse practitioner students must purchase nurse practitioner insurance and must have it in place during all clinical, practicum, and residency experiences.

Licensure

All students, except students enrolled in the pre-licensure undergraduate nursing program, are required to hold a current, unrestricted RN license in Mississippi or in one of the Compact States. Out-of-state students in non-Compact States who are not practicing in Mississippi must also hold current and unrestricted licensure in the state in which they are practicing. Verification of a current and unrestricted license is required annually. Students must notify the School of Nursing immediately of any licensure restrictions or changes that occur after admission to the school of nursing. Failure to do so in a timely manner may result in dismissal.

Background Checks

Mississippi law requires all health care workers, including students, to complete criminal history background checks through UMMC or another approved health care facility. Contact Human Resources for approval of non-UMMC background checks. All School of Nursing students are required to successfully complete a criminal history background check, including fingerprinting, prior to final acceptance into the program and are required to notify the associate dean for academic affairs immediately of any arrests or convictions that occur after application to or admission to the School of Nursing. A felony conviction may affect a graduate’s eligibility to be licensed or certified.

IRB Certification

The Institutional Review Board (IRB) at the University of Mississippi Medical Center requires that all faculty, staff and students involved in human subjects research complete an IRB tutorial. The tutorial is designed to meet national, state and institutional requirements for training in human subject protection. It is a self-directed web-based educational program in the ethics of human subjects research and IRB procedures.

Service Learning

The University of Mississippi School of Nursing values service learning as a necessary aspect of education and development. Service projects provide opportunities for faculty, staff, and students to demonstrate the professional values through value-based behavior. School of Nursing students complete eight hours of service learning in community settings annually and submit verification of these hours to the School of Nursing Office of Student Affairs and Service Learning.

Other Compliance Requirements

The University has additional compliance requirements that students must meet on an annual basis.

Students who fail to maintain School of Nursing compliance requirements will not be allowed to participate in clinical, practicum, or residency activities, which will result in an unexcused absence.

Course Audit

To audit a course, a student must obtain approval from the course coordinator and the associate dean for academic affairs. The student must pay related tuition, fees, and expenses prior to beginning the course.

Attendance Policy

To learn more about the SON Attendance Policy, click here.

Examinations

Undergraduate students must have a weighted test average and an overall course average of 76 or higher to pass the course. All students will take tests at the time and place designated by the instructor. Books or other written materials are not allowed during testing unless specifically permitted by the instructor. In the event a student is unable to take the examination at the time designated, the student must notify the course coordinator prior to test administration or the absence may be unexcused and the course faculty may elect not to give a make-up examination. The student must contact the course coordinator within 24 hours after return to reschedule the exam. The rescheduling and the testing method are at the discretion of the course faculty. If the student fails to contact the course coordinator within 24 hours, the student may receive a zero for the exam.

Standardized Examinations

To see the SON Standardized Policy for Traditional Programs, click here. For Accelerated Programs, click here.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

The School of Nursing ADA policy is found in the Student Handbook on the SON web site.