Review Michigan nursing student background check and nursing clinical requirements.
Compliance requirements for nursing students in Michigan include records of immunization, drug testing, criminal background screening, and specialized tests. Regulations are divided between colleges, placement partners, and state-sanctioned agencies. Below are more details on ICHAT background checks, the differences between public and private hospital systems, and student responsibilities regarding placement.
Criminal history screenings for clinical students include fingerprint-based FBI checks and ICHAT name-based vetting.
Both public and private healthcare providers base policies on state standards.
Michigan clinical students are often required to locate their own preceptors and initiate their own placements.
Sections 20173a and 20173b of the Michigan Public Health Code mandate fingerprint background checks for individuals with clinical privileges and direct access to patients. Fingerprint checks pull case and disposition information from county courthouses and federal databases if matches to applicant information are found. Internet Criminal History Access Tool (ICHAT) name-based searches may be required by the attending school to cover the gaps fingerprint-only searches leave.
To use ICHAT for nursing student background checks, students must initiate it themselves. The steps to acquire a criminal history record are as follows:
Access the ICHAT website.
Select the “Student” designation under “Reason for Search”.
Fill in the personal information fields.
Submit the information and continue to checkout.
Enter an email to receive a copy of the report there.
Complete payment and download the results.
Reports are only retained for seven days. If it wasn’t retrieved within that timeframe, another search must be initiated and paid for separately.
Michigan clinical requirements are generally consistent between public and private hospitals. State standards regulate both healthcare systems, but leave wiggle room for institutions to have policies of their own. Depending on the policy in question, additional records, immunity documentation, or a second background check may be necessary. If these requirements surpass the school’s, the clinical partner may contact the student directly for fulfillment.
Students are often, but not always, responsible for securing their own clinical placements in Michigan. Some schools, like the University of Michigan (U-M) and Eastern Michigan University, place this obligation on students themselves. Others, like Michigan State University (MSU), employ a Clinical Placement Coordinator or similar role that places students.
Students are typically able to appeal a clinical placement denial in Michigan. The process must be initiated within a few days of dismissal and include supporting documentation:
A written statement in support of the appeal
Up to five letters of support from faculty members or other Michigan Medicine community members (optional)
After these documents have been supplied, the appropriate school authorities review them and make a final judgement.