Statement on Background Checks/Drug Screens
To comply with the Joint Commission Organization and state and local regulations regarding background checks for healthcare providers, the following policy is hereby implemented by the Associate Degree Registered Nursing Directors of the Los Angeles Community Colleges:
Each student enrolled in a nursing program in the Los Angeles Community College District must complete, and have on file with the nursing program office, a clear criminal background check in order to participate in placement(s) in clinical facilities. The background check must be completed prior to enrollment in the first nursing course. Failure to provide a clear background check will result in the student's inability to enter (or re-enter) the nursing program. Students who do not complete a background check/drug screen by the deadline date will not be allowed to register for classes.
The initial background check satisfies this requirement during continuous enrollment in the program. Should a student's educational progress be interrupted for six (6) months or greater, a new background check and urine drug screen is required upon readmission to the program.
Each background check will minimally include the following:
- Seven-year student history
- Address verification
- Sex offender database search
- Two names (current legal and one other name)
- All counties
- OIG search
- Social Security Number verification
- Criminal record
Students convicted of the following offenses may be unable to attend clinical facilities:
- Murder
- Felony assault
- Sexual offense/sexual assault
- Felony possession and furnishing (without certificate of rehabilitation)
- Felony Drug and alcohol offenses (without certificate of rehabilitation)
- Certain other felonies involving weapons and/or violent crimes
- Class B and Class A misdemeanor theft
- Felony theft
- Fraud
- Child abuse, elder abuse
There are no exceptions to this requirement.
**Some clinical agencies require Live Scan prior to clinical rotations. Students who are denied placement due to the inability to pass a required Live Scan will NOT be permitted to continue in the nursing program, unless an appropriate clinical placement can be found at an alternative agency.
**For clinical agencies for which a drug screen is required: students who test positive on a drug screen will not be able to continue in the nursing program UNLESS a physician writes a note stating that prescription medications are causing the positive drug screen.