Signature Healthcare
Vaccination against COVID-19 with the most recent, updated vaccine is highly recommended. Students must provide documentation of up to date COVID-19 vaccination to the Office of Counseling and Student Services, or submit a SH/BHSON COVID-19 Vaccination Declination form. Per Massachusetts Department of Public Health requirements, vaccination with the newest COVID-19 vaccine (Pfizer, Moderna, or Novavax), currently the 2023-2024 vaccine released in September 2023, is required to be considered up to date. Students must submit either documentation of receiving the 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine, or a signed declination that they do not plan to receive the vaccine.
*Students should be aware that some clinical agencies have a more stringent policy about COVID-19 vaccination, such as not accepting declination of the vaccine, or requiring students are “up to date” with vaccination as defined here by the CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/stay-up-to-date.html#UTD. Students will not be able to attend the assigned clinical rotation if they do not meet the vaccination requirements of the clinical agency. SH/BHSON is mandated by the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing as well as our accreditor, Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) to provide students with clinical experiences. SH/BHSON is not obligated to provide substitute or alternate clinical experiences based on a student’s request or vaccine preference. Being unvaccinated against COVID-19, or not being up to date on vaccination as defined by the CDC may mean a student is not able to complete the clinical nursing courses, and as a result, not be able to complete the program.
*This policy is subject to change at any time as updated information is received from the CDC and other national organizations, or due to increased infectivity rates in the local area.