Background Check & Health Records

Legislation & Policy

Florida Law restricts access to children, elderly, and disabled patients by persons convicted of specific misdemeanors and felonies (Chapter 435 Florida Statues). This law places restrictions on all health care facilities, which in turn require students to comply with the same restrictions as their employees and volunteers. (IMPORTANT: New Regulation for Application for Initial Licensure-Posted 10-1-09)

Therefore, a two part background check is required of all students admitted to the College of Nursing in order to secure access to nursing practice experiences as required by the College of Nursing degree programs.

Each nursing program has required coursework that involves patient contact such as practice in a health care facility, conducting a research study or project, or interfacing with patients individually or collectively. Partnering agencies where students receive nursing practice experiences also now require background checks, as well as additional information such as arrests without convictions, verification of employment, and social security verification, aimed at protecting the public.

If any applicant's background check indicates a history that that might prevent participation in a nursing practice component of the program, an Advisory Panel of will consider the applicant's individual situation and make a decision about admission in the program.

If the background check results in a current student being denied admission to a clinical agency and/or access to patients in the agency, and if a comparable assignment cannot be made to meet course objectives, the academic requirements of the program cannot be met, and the student will be denied progression in the College of Nursing resulting in withdrawal or dismissal from the program.

If the student experiences a break in enrollment of one or more calendar year(s) from the original background check or most recent oath and affirmation statement, a new complete background check (both components) will be required before the student may resume coursework.

The College of Nursing requires the annual submission of a signed and notarized Oath and Affirmation statement indicating that the student has not been arrested or charged with any crime or misdemeanor since the date of the initial background check.

However, some agencies may require annual background checks and will not accept the Oath and Affirmation statement. It is the student's responsibility to find out if she or he will need to resubmit the background check or if the Oath and Affirmation statement will be acceptable for the agency she or he will attend.

All information obtained relating to background checks and Oath and Affirmation statements is kept confidential and maintained in a secure file by the College.