Immunisation
Immunisation is a mandatory requirement across all healthcare placement providers. In order to progress to clinical placement, you must be screened and provide evidence of your immunisation status. Non-compliance with the Health Care Workers Immunisation Policy will prevent you from progressing to clinical placement.
Immunisation guidelines
The Immunisation for Health Care Workers in South Australia Policy Directive 2017 defines the minumum standards required to minimise the risk of transmission of vaccine preventable diseases.
Immunisation requirements for UniSA placement
UniSA's Immunisation Requirements for Placement package provides details of the required immunisations.
Satisfying immunisation requirements
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How do I satisfy UniSA immunisation requirements?
The University requires proof of your immunisation status through the completion of the Student Health Care Worker Immunisation Screening Questionnaire and Certificate of Compliance, found in the UniSA Immunisation Requirements for Placement package.
You will be required to:
- Complete the Health Care Worker Immunisation Screening Questionnaire (page 3-5 in the package)
- See a Medical Practitioner to complete the immunisation Certificate of Compliance (page 7 & 8 in the package). You may attend any of the following:
- UniSA Health Medical Clinic: phone 1300 172 996 or book online
- Private Medical Practitioner
- Other local immunisation services.
- Submit your completed and signed Certificate of Compliance (scan page 7 & 8 as one file) in accordance with your program-specific student checklist.
- Keep a hard copy of the Certificate of Compliance and copies of serology results in your Passport to Placement folder, ready for the commencement of your placement.
Download the Immunisation Requirements for Placement package
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How do I satisfy interstate immunisation requirements?
In addition to completing the Immunisation Requirements for Placement package, students undertaking a placement in an another Australian state or territory should comply with the relevant state immunisation policies.
ACT | QLD | NSW | NT | WA | VIC & TAS
Information about venue-specific immunisation requirements are available via InPlace (login required). If you are unsure, please contact the Clinical Placement Unit.
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What defines a Health Care Worker?
Health Care Workers (HCWs) are defined as all those who have contact with patients or contact with blood or other body substances from patients in a health care or laboratory setting. This includes: medical, dental, nursing, allied health, emergency health care workers (ambulance and volunteer first aid workers), laboratory staff and mortuary workers, including all trainees and student health care workers in these groups.
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What if I have a blood borne virus, cannot show proof of sero-conversion or wish to refuse vaccination?
Please contact your Program Director to discuss your placement needs further and to develop a plan for progression. While students have the right to confidentiality, they also have a responsibility to their clients and work colleagues. Students who choose to refuse vaccination should be aware that they may not be able to progress to placement due to being excluded from participating in Category A and B care activities (as per section 4.5 of the Immunisation for Health Care Workers in South Australia Policy Directive).
Tuberculosis screening
You must undertake screening for Tuberculosis (TB) with SA Tuberculosis Services prior to placement at any SA Health or private partner sites. This screening is a mandatory South Australian Government requirement and students not screened will be removed from placement at these sites.
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How do I complete the tuberculosis screening?
- Health Care students must complete the online tuberculosis screening questionnaire.
Should you have any difficulties accessing or completing the online questionnaire, please email satb@adelaide.on.net - After completion of the questionnaire, you will receive an email from SATB advising you of further instructions to complete your tuberculosis screening.
* Once you have completed and submitted the questionnaire, please remember to check your email for your screening results. - Students must complete the the Student Health Care Worker Immunisation Screening Questionnaire and Certificate of Compliance, found in the UniSA Immunisation Requirements for Placement package. Submit your completed and signed Certificate of Compliance (page 7 & 8 in the package) in accordance with your program-specific student checklist.
- Keep a hard copy of the Certificate of Compliance and tuberculosis screening results in your Passport to Placement Folder, ready for the commencement of your placement.
- Health Care students must complete the online tuberculosis screening questionnaire.
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How long is the tuberculosis screening valid for?
In most cases, the screening is valid for five years unless:
- You have been exposed to someone with TB
- You have extensively travelled/worked abroad in a high-risk country
- You have completed an overseas placement
- You are allocated to a venue where a more recent screening is mandatory.
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Do I need to be re-screened?
If you have previously been screened at SA TB Services, you do not need to be re-screened. Students who have been exposed to someone with TB, have extensively travelled/worked abroad in a high-risk country, or have completed an overseas placement since their last screening, must complete the process outlined above. Students who are allocated to a venue where a more recent screening is mandatory may need to be re-screened.
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What if the screening indicates 'high risk'?
If the questionnaire indicates a student is a high risk category alert after completing online questionnaire, they will be contacted and directed to make an appointment at the Chest Clinic.
The student will then follow the same process as pre-employment at SA Health. They will have a Tuberculin Skin Test and/or Chest X-ray. If latent TB monitored on a six month basis, follow-up X-ray and antibiotics. If active TB they will be admitted into hospital and treated; people they have been in contact will also be screened. Skin test is not undertaken on Wednesday, because they need to report two days after for result interpretation.
Students should not complete the online questionnaire again because they have lost or deleted their original confirmation email.
Queries can be directed to:
Michelle Brigham, SA TB services, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, SA
Email: michelle.brigham@health.sa.gov.au -
Further information
If you have any queries, please contact SA TB Services on (08) 7117 2967. Do not contact the CPU or UniSA about whether your past screening is sufficient, as only SA TB Services can make this decision and will do so based on the information you provide in the survey.
Tuberculosis FAQ (PDF 126KB)
