Vocational Nursing Admission Information

New student orientation for the VN program is mandatory. Orientation details will be included in your acceptance letter.

• Learn about the program expectations and how to prepare for the course.
• Be able to ask questions of administration, faculty, and staff.
• Receive course materials with information on registration, books, supplies, and more.

We use CastleBranch to document and track immunization records, drug screenings, and more. It is also a good idea to obtain hard copies of your immunizations for your own records. Once you are accepted, please upload documentation for the following immunizations:

• Tdap (within the last 10 years) 
• TB (PPD) skin test, Chest X-ray, or Quantiferon test (within the past year)
• Influenza (flu shot, must be current and updated throughout the program)
• Titer showing proof of immunity to Measles, Mumps, & Rubella (MMR)
• Titer showing proof of immunity to Hepatitis B
• Titer showing negative screening for Hepatitis C
• Titer showing proof of immunity to Varicella (chicken pox)

Additional Vaccine Requirements
As part of the VN program, you will be studying in facilities outside of the College. During these times, you will be required to comply with the immunization policies of each facility to be able to participate. This includes COVID-19 vaccinations. These requirements are implemented by the outside facilities and are not mandated by San Jac. Failure to meet the immunization requirements may limit your ability to complete the program. It may also delay your graduation date. San Jac does not process exemptions. You must address potential vaccination exemptions directly with the external learning site.

Please upload to CastleBranch proof of Basic Life Support (BLS), CPR, and AED Training for Health Care Professionals Certificate card from the American Heart Association. Online courses are not accepted.

You will need to submit your original Blue Card or Outcome Letter to the Vocational Nursing Office at orientation. You will receive these after your background check.

We also use CastleBranch for our background checks and drug screenings. You must have a clear criminal background to be eligible for a nursing license. If you have an issue in attaining your license, you can file a Declaratory Order. Declatory orders allow the Board of Nursing to make a decision on your eligibility before you enter a nursing program. Please note:

• You can file a Declaratory Order if you answer yes to questions 3-5 on the licensure eligibility requirements. 
• Wait to file a Declaratory Order until you receive a letter from the Board of Nursing telling you to do so. If you foresee incidents on your criminal background check, you should start gathering information, such as statements and court documents. But wait to submit anything until the Board of Nursing requests a Declaratory Order.
• At the end of San Jac’s application period, our nursing office will email qualified applicants with directions for completing the background check. If the Board of Nursing has approved your eligibility, you may go ahead and enroll in the program. You will need to provide proof of clearance by either the “Blue Card” or the “Outcome Letter” from the Board of Nursing.

The drug screen, Blue Card, and physical exam are required after you are accepted into the program. You will receive information about these screenings once you’ve been accepted. You may schedule the exam with a private physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant. Just make sure you use the forms the Vocational Nursing program provides. 

The exam:

• Should show that you are physically and emotionally fit to perform all the requirements of direct patient care 
• Should show you are free from communicable diseases
• Are subject to review by the department, medical opinion, or policy of hospitals and agencies that serve as extended campus sites for clinicals.

You must have health insurance when you are accepted into the program, and maintain your insurance without lapses throughout the program. The Gold Card does not count as health insurance.

San Jac doesn’t participate in a specific College-sponsored health insurance plan. You may obtain insurance through private companies. Compare companies and study the terms of their policies before buying coverage. We are offering the following providers as a resource only, not as an endorsement:

• EJ Smith 
• United Healthcare 
• Insurance for College Students (IFCS)