Health and Safety Requirements

The Faculty of Nursing is committed to meeting standards of practice in nursing by ensuring that students attain and maintain required certifications and meet recommended immunization standards.  This page provides detailed information about the health and safety requirements for all students who have received final admission to the Faculty of Nursing.  These requirements are also referenced in section 133.2(2) of the University Calendar.

  • The Health and Safety Requirements do not need to be submitted as part of your application, although we encourage students to become familiar with the requirements as soon as possible to ensure completion by the deadline (especially for immunizations).  
  • Please note that the Health and Safety Requirements will not be listed in your Bear Tracks To Do List because they are requirements for clinical practice, not admission requirements for entry to the program.
  • Students with disabilities should visit the Students with Disabilities section of our website for more information.
  • Students are required to annually recheck their submissions.

If you have any questions or concerns about the Health and Safety Requirements, please contact Sandra Gibson at sandra.gibson@ualberta.ca or (780) 248-2041.

Important Guidelines for Document Submission

  1. All forms are available on the Undergraduate Forms page, including a Health and Safety Checklist which should be checked off and included with your documents.  
  2. Some requirements have an associated fee; students are responsible for any costs associated with these requirements.
  3. Submit your original Police Information Check
  4. Submit photocopies rather than original documents for all other requirements. 
  5. Submit documents in person or by mail to:

    Sandra Gibson
    Undergraduate Programs Office
    Faculty of Nursing
    Edmonton Clinic Health Academy 4-143
    University of Alberta
    Edmonton, Alberta
    Canada T6G 1C9

    or fax to 1-780-492-2551 (do not fax Police Information Checks)
  6. Students in Camrose program submit documents in person or by mail to:

    University of Alberta Faculty of Nursing
    Husfloen Building
    4316 38 Street
    Camrose, Alberta
    Canada T4V 4B2
  7. Documents filled out by the University Health Centre will not be automatically submitted to the Faculty of Nursing, it is the responsibility of the student to obtain and submit these forms.  
  8. Once you have submitted all required health and safety documents to the Faculty of Nursing, you will receive a “health passport” which is used to track these requirements throughout your program.  You will need to present your health passport to your clinical instructor at each new clinical site during your program.

Deadlines (2011-2012)

  • BScN-Collaborative Program students starting in Fall 2012: August 1, 2012
  • BScN-Bilingual Program students entering Year 2 in Fall 2012: August 1, 2012 
  • RPN to BScN students starting in Fall 2012: August 1, 2012
  • BScN-After Degree Program students starting Fall 2012: August 1, 2012
  • BScN-After Degree Program students starting Winter 2013:  November 1, 2012
  • Post RN students: A minimum of 6 weeks prior to commencing NURS 475 or NURS 492

Note: Students who receive admission after the posted Health and Safety Requirement deadline should contact the Faculty of Nursing regarding their deadline.   

1. Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Certification (CPR)

Students must provide evidence of CPR certification at the Healthcare Provider Level. This course is designed for healthcare providers who have a duty to respond to medical emergencies.  A CPR-Healthcare Provider certificate is valid for one year from the date of the course.  Evidence of annual recertification must be presented each year while in the Nursing program.  Students who do not have current CPR-Healthcare Provider Level certification cannot participate in clinical courses.  Level C CPR certification is not acceptable, students must obtain CPR at the Healthcare Provider Level.  If you have EMT certification that you believe may be equivalent to Healthcare Provider Level CPR, please contact the Faculty of Nursing. If Health Care Provider Level CPR courses are not available in your local area please contact the Faculty of Nursing.

2. Standard First Aid Certificate

Students must provide a copy of a current standard first aid certificate.  This does not need to be renewed throughout the program. 

Note: Students in the BScN-Post RN Program or the RPN to BScN Program do not require this certification.

3. Immunization Requirements

Students must have their immunization records reviewed, updated, and transcribed onto the Faculty Immunization Clearance Form by a healthcare professional.  Also refer to the Immunization Guidelines document for more detailed information.  Both documents are available on the Undergraduate Forms page.

We recommend that your immunization review be done at the University Health Centre if possible. You may contact the University Health Centre at (780)-492-2612 to make an appointment as soon as you receive your letter of admission.  Please bring your letter of admission as well as all childhood and previous immunization records to your appointment.  Immunization records can be obtained by contacting your local public health centre, school, family physician, or wherever you may have had your childhood immunizations completed.  If you cannot obtain your records, consult with the University Health Centre for advice.  Immunizations will be updated based on individual assessment.  

It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that all immunizations remain current while in the Nursing program.  Clinical experiences may be delayed if requirements are not met. If you will not be proceeding with immunization or serological testing to prove your immunity, you must contact the Faculty of Nursing for completion of waiver documentation.

4.  Requisite Skills and Abilities / Personal Declarations

These documents are intended to assist individuals considering entry into a Nursing Program at the University of Alberta to determine if they have the physical and mental health attributes that will support success in a nursing education program. During a nursing program students must participate in clinical practice courses which require performance of physically and mentally challenging activities similar to those skills required of a practicing Registered Nurse (RN). 

Students should read the document Requisite Skills and Abilities for Registered Nurses, and then sign and return the Personal Declarations for Undergraduate Nursing Students to the Faculty of Nursing.  Both documents are available on the Undergraduate Forms page. 

5.  Police Information Check / Criminal Record Check

By law, all students and instructors going to any area within Alberta Health Services for clinical placements are required to complete a Police Information Check (also known as a Criminal Records Check or Security Clearance Check), which must include a Vulnerable Sector Check. 

Students entering the program in the September 2012 term must submit a Police Information Check dated after June 11, 2012.  If you are an international student or from another province, please contact the Faculty of Nursing if you need to submit a document outside of the 90 day time period.

Clinical placement sites that are a part of Alberta Health Services will honour a student's initial Police Information Check for the duration of your program, however clinical placements with organizations that are not part of Alberta Health Services may require additional checks (i.e. dated within 90 days) during your program. 

Students must obtain a Police Information Check and submit it to the Faculty of Nursing. The Faculty of Nursing will verify the Police Information Check and keep a copy on file in a sealed envelope.  If the results of a student’s Police Information Check are unclear, they will be referred to Alberta Health Services or other applicable clinical placement agency for further screening prior to beginning clinical placements.

Police Information Checks can be obtained through the Edmonton Police Service, a community police station, or any RCMP detachment. Students in the Camrose After Degree Program may contact the Camrose Police Service.   Students from outside of the Edmonton area are advised to obtain this requirement prior to relocating to Edmonton if possible. 

Ensure you familiarize yourself with the requirements and process, including fees, identification to bring, and processing times in order to meet this requirement in an expedient manner. Fees are the responsibility of the student and processing times vary depending on the volume of requests.  Standard processing time is 2 weeks, however students have often experienced processing times as long as 4-6 weeks.  It is the responsibility of the student to ensure each check includes a Vulnerable Sector Check. 

Students who have concerns related to their ability to satisfy a Police Information Check should consult with the Faculty of Nursing immediately upon admission to the program. 

6. Clinical Placements and HSPnet 

The Health Sciences Placement Network (HSPnet) is a computer system used by the Faculty of Nursing to arrange all clinical placements for our students.  Students should read the document Identified Purposes and Handling of Personal Information in HSPnet, and then sign and return the Consent Form for Use and Disclosure of Personal Information to the Faculty of Nursing.  Both documents are available on the Undergraduate Forms page. 

If you choose not to sign the consent form it may significantly delay the arrangements for a clinical placement as it will need to be done manually. If you have extenuating circumstances that prevent you from signing the consent form, please contact Linda Youell at linda.youell@ualberta.ca or (780) 492-0435. 

7.  Confidentiality Agreements

As a nursing student you will be privileged to healthcare information and are bound by legislation to keep the information that you access confidential.  In order to be able to access this privileged information you must sign and submit the Faculty of Nursing Clinical Placement Confidentiality Agreement and the Alberta Health Services Information Technology Confidentiality Agreement.  Both documents are available on the Undergraduate Forms page.

8.  Child Intervention Check / Child Welfare Check

Child Intervention Checks are not required for the first year of the program, therefore you do not need to complete this requirement by the Health and Safety Requirements deadline.  More information will be provided prior to starting clinical courses that require this check. 

Students enrolled NURS 295, NURS 310, NURS 395, NURS 406 and other clinical courses that involve working with minors will be required to obtain a Child Intervention Check (also known as a Child Welfare Check).  The forms to obtain a Child Intervention Record are available at the Faculty of Nursing Undergraduate Services Office located on the 3rd floor of the Clinical Sciences Building.

Do not submit Child Intervention Checks to the Faculty of Nursing, keep the document and take it with you to the clinical placement site that requires this check. 

9. Respiratory Mask Fit Testing 

Mask fit testing will be scheduled by the University of Alberta once your program starts.  You do not need to complete this requirement by the Health and Safety Requirements deadline. 

Prior to acute care clinical practice courses, all students must be fitted for N95 Respiratory Masks in accordance with the contractual agreement with Alberta Health Services.  These masks are worn when caring for patients with highly infectious diseases. The Health Sciences Council of the University of Alberta coordinates mask fit testing and the Faculty of Nursing will email students (at their University of Alberta email accounts) when mask fit testing on campus is scheduled. 

More detailed information about mast fit testing (including fees and how to prepare for your fit test) is available in the Fit Testing section of the Health Sciences Council’s website. 

Mask fit testing is valid for two years. If you lose or gain a significant amount of weight or have dental/facial surgery, you will need to have your mask fit test redone. Please note that mask fit testing is done only in the fall and spring; if you require mask fit testing outside of this timeframe it is your responsibility to independently obtain mask fit testing.  BScN-Post RN students who do a clinical course in an acute care setting must also have current mask fit testing. If you had mask fit testing done at your place of work, it will only be accepted if it was for a 3M mask - contact the Faculty of Nursing for more information.