Health, CPR, Background & Drug Screening Requirements of Clinical Agencies

1. Successful completion of AHA (American Heart Association) BLS (Basic Life Support) course within 12 months prior to the first day of class. The student must provide current CPR card as evidence. CPR training must be renewed annually, regardless of the expiration date on the card, in order to be eligible to register for class and attend clinical.
2. You must show proof of immunizations. Documentation must include name, DOB, date of immunizations, and must be verified by the physician’s signature/stamp. The following must be included with the most current proof of vaccination dates as required.
   1. Three childhood DPT (diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus) with dates
   2. One Tdap dose; if Tdap given more than 10 years ago, Td booster
   3. Two Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR)
   4. First dose of Hepatitis B vaccine series must be taken and proof provided. Student must receive second and third doses on time to remain eligible to attend clinical.
   5. Varicella (chicken pox) immunity by positive blood titer or two dose vaccine series.
   6. Initially, two step PPD (tuberculin skin test) with results. PPD should be at least one week apart, but no more than 21 days apart. This initial sequence cannot be older than 12 months. PPD is repeated annually as long as there is not a national shortage.
   7. Influenza (flu) Vaccine (do not have this done until instructed to do so or it may have to be repeated). Usually done in the month of October.
   8. Covid vaccine (full vaccine). (Due to student clinical rotation, the strictest agency requirement is what the program follows, per hospital policy.)
3. Clear criminal background check and negative drug screen is required for clinical rotations. The clinical affiliates require this from every individual involved with direct patient care. Without clearance, a student cannot be assigned a clinical rotation. Without clinical experience, a student cannot proceed in the program.

Note:  Clinical agencies that the program is contracted with require the CBC/Drug Screening/vaccines.

Clinical Travel Requirements

At a minimum, the ECC Surgical Technology Program requires students to rotate to minor clinical education centers during the 18-month long program (four continuous semesters). Providing the standards are maintained (1:1 tech to student ratio), the clinical coordinator and/or program chair assign students to the closest clinical education centers by his/her registered address in the college Datatel system. On average, the clinical rotation is split between the second and third semesters, providing transfers are not needed due to professional competency deficiencies or other unforeseen circumstances.

ECC Surgical Technology program is in compliance with assuring that clinical involvement for students is limited to not more than ten (10) hours per day. Any hours over 10 must be volunteered by the student in writing and approved by the Program Chair and the Clinical Coordinator to ensure the 1:1 ratio is maintained.  Students are not assigned to clinical settings on holidays that are observed by the sponsoring institution. The program allows students to make up clinical time during the term or scheduled breaks by approval of the Program Chair and Clinical Coordinator providing supervision is maintained.

Clinical Travel could estimate up to 200 miles round trip to attend a clinical education center, depending on student’s home address in the college Datatel system. Clinical attendance does change per semester, for example:

Semester	Days of Clinical	Days of Classes
First	0	3
Second	3	2
Third	3	2
Fourth	0	Online

Clinical education centers affiliated with the Surgical Technology Department

ECU Health Medical Center	2100 Stantonsburg Rd. Greenville, NC
ECU Health SurgiCenter	102 Bethesda Drive Greenville, NC
ECU Health Edgecombe	111 Hospital Drive Tarboro, NC
ECU Health Roanoke Chowan	500 S. Academy Street Ahoskie, NC
ECU Health North	250 Smith Church Road Roanoke Rapids, NC 27870
Wake Med	3000 New Bern Ave. Raleigh, NC
Nash UNC Health Care (Nash General and Nash Day)	2460 Curtis Ellis Drive Rocky Mount, NC 27804

Student Health Requirements

• CPR (AHA/BLS)
• Proof of immunizations: DPT (3), Tdap (1), and/or booster (10 years), measles (2), varicella
• Flu vaccine (October)
• Two step PPD
• Covid vaccine (each hospital has their own policies towards this subject)

Student Work Policy

Due to a very busy second and third semester, we ask that students do not work throughout the week during clinicals. Our clinicals take up a lot of time for our students. Our clinical day starts at 6 a.m. and ends at 3 p.m.

Clinical Case Requirement

• 500 clinical hours
• 5 different specialties
• 120 first scrub logged cases

Case reports are due for each case scrubbed by the student. Students will be rotated through a small, medium, and large health care facility.

Criteria for Successful Completion of Curriculum and Graduation

• A clear background check is a must. Our clinical sites have rules and regulations that they must follow. Without their clearance of your background check, you cannot go to the hospital for clinicals, and therefore will have to be dropped from the program.
• There will be clinical sites in different locations that will require a valid drivers license and some travel expenses.
• The program chair and clinical coordinator will view the student’s registered address in the college Datatel system and assign each student to clinical sites in the area.
• Clinical rotations are completed in the second and third trimester of the program.
• The surgical technology student will be assigned one night shift during the third semester to complete. This will be a requirement for each student (usually on a Friday).
• Clinical hours are not to be longer than ten hour days.
• Drug screens are requirements from all clinical settings.
• Make-up clinical hours may be available during the semester breaks, depending on availability with the program chair or clinical coordinator.

Graduation Requirements

• Verification of case logs and completed scrub hours
• Passing grade of at least a C
• Must sit for certification CST exam in December