New clinical nursing and education majors are required to have tuberculosis tests before starting their practicum.
Even after completing the test during their first year at Biola, students entering specific programs must retake the test again as part of their program requirement. For example, Biola’s nursing program and the credential course at the education department include additional TB testings in the preparation lists of their clinics or fieldwork.
ALL STUDENT REQUIREMENT
A vast majority of current freshmen and transfer students needed to take a TB test this year in order to meet Biola University’s requirement, said Bryan Kuranaga, office assistant at the student health center.
“Students who are taking seven units or more are required to submit some form of proof that they have TB test done within one year of them starting classes here at Biola,” Kuranaga said.
CLINICAL NURSING REQUIREMENT
While most of the students who completed the new student testing requirement do not need to retake the test unless their internship or volunteer job requires one, students in the clinical nursing program need to have annual tuberculosis tests.
“Every student, once they come into the [clinical] nursing program, will have their TB screening annually,” said Donell Campbell, associate professor of nursing.
Incoming students of the clinical nursing program are required to complete their screening within a specific time frame designated by the nursing department, usually from May to mid-July in order to start their practicum at local hospitals.
ADDITIONAL TESTS
Education majors are also required to have additional tests to start their practicum and need to contact their academic counselors to find out a specific time frame of when their testing needs to be completed.
“All the students that are doing field work, meaning they are working in the schools, either preschools, elementary schools, middle schools, or high schools, that is a part of our classes, need to have a current TB test,” said Charity Shelton, credential analyst at the education department.
Depending on the school they go to, practicum students need to submit proof of testing done either within one or two years, Shelton said.
“When they first come to the credential course, everybody has to get one, so we make sure that they have it done,” Shelton said.
REGISTRATION REQUIREMENT
Communicating with academic counselors for detailed information on when to take a TB test is crucial to education majors in preparing for their next semester. Freshman elementary education major Annie Yang took her test on April 20 for her class registration. Yang was unable to register for one of her classes until she had the test done.
“I tried to sign up for my Introduction to Teaching, but they told me I couldn’t sign until I got my TB test done,” Yang said.
Yang thought her results from last year were enough for her education class. However, she needed to take another TB test for her class registration.
“When I asked my department, one of the counselors told me that I had to get [another test] as soon as possible before summer starts,” Yang said.
Yang recommends that incoming elementary education majors communicate with academic counselors for further information on TB testing.
“I think it’s important to go check with your counselor at the education department and have them tell you if you have to take a TB test or not,” Yang said.
