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| Background Checks & Drug Screenings |
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All students entering a health program at St.
Petersburg College are required to successfully
complete a background screening within ninety
days prior to starting the first health program
course. The student will pay the background
screening fee directly to the appropriate
vendor. Applicants for health related programs
at St. Petersburg College must be free of
offenses that would disqualify one for
employment in a health related field or to sit
for a state licensing exam.
For progression into the first health program
course, students with a felony conviction must
first have had their civil rights restored. Once
civil rights have been restored, the following
criteria will be used to determine eligibility.
Prospective
students may not have one felony or two
misdemeanor charges with a disposition dated
within five years from the start of the health
program courses with a judgment of guilty, or
with a plea of nolo contendere (no contest), or
where adjudication was withheld. Further, an
applicant may be disqualified for admission
based on Florida Statute 456.0635, where such
person has been convicted on felony charges
relating to medical fraud, neglect or substance
abuse, or where terminated for cause from the
Florida Medicaid Program or other Medicare
program.
Additionally, the following crimes may
disqualify applicants from entering into any
health education program regardless of date of
disposition:
- Murder
- Manslaughter
- Vehicle homicide
- Killing of an unborn child by injury to
the mother
- Assault, if the victim of the offense
was a minor
- Battery, if the victim of the offense
was a minor
- Aggravated assault
- Aggravated battery
- Kidnapping
- False imprisonment
- Sexual battery
- Prohibited acts of persons in familial
or custodial authority
- Lewd and lascivious behavior
- Lewdness and indecent exposure
- Arson
- Theft, robbery, and related crimes if
the offense is a felony
- Incest
- Abuse or neglect of a disabled adult or
elderly person
- Exploitation of disabled adult or
elderly person
- Aggravated child abuse
- Negligent treatment of children
- Sexual performance by a child
- Animal cruelty or abuse
- Prostitution
- Drug related offense if a felony or
involved a minor
Entry into a health education program is the
prospective student's decision. Acceptance into
the health program does not guarantee that the
student will be eligible for licensure; it is
the student’s responsibility to consult with the
appropriate licensing agency for specific
licensure criteria. Clinical facilities may
limit or prohibit students with criminal
histories from participating in clinical
experiences which are part of the curriculum.
Other options may not exist for the student to
fulfill required clinical hours in order to
complete the program; as a result, the student
would receive a failing grade and may not be
eligible to complete the health program or apply
for licensure. All of the above factors should
be taken into consideration prior to making a
decision about pursuing a career as a healthcare
provider.
Once admitted into the health program
courses and continuing through enrollment in a SPC health program, the student is responsible
for notifying the dean/program director of any
arrests. Failure to notify the dean/program
director within five business days shall be
grounds for dismissal from the program.
Continuing through enrollment in the health
program, the student must not be found guilty,
regardless of whether adjudication is withheld,
of an offense that would disqualify the student
under the standard(s) as referenced above.
Drug Screening
While enrolled in a SPC health related program,
the health care professions are committed to
providing excellent patient care and services in
a safe, productive, and quality-conscious
environment. All students entering a health
program at St. Petersburg College are required
to successfully complete a drug screening within
ninety (90) days prior to starting the first
health program course. The student will pay the
drug screening fee directly to the appropriate
vendor. The drug screening must satisfactorily
demonstrate that the student is free from the
use of any illegal drug, unprescribed controlled
substance. Students who do not successfully pass
the drug screening on the first attempt will be
allowed to reapply for admission to a health
program for a following semester. A student who
fails the drug screening a second time will not
be permitted to reapply for admission to a
health program for the period of one year from
the date of the most recent application.
Students must remain drug-free throughout the
tenure in their program at the College.***
Failure to do so shall be grounds for dismissal
from the program.*** A Student who has not
maintained continuous enrollment in health
program courses for a period of one hundred
twenty (120) days or more from the last date of
attendance, must successfully complete and pass
a new drug and background screening upon
readmission and/or before resuming enrollment
into health program classes.
All students
enrolled in a health related program are
required to be drug and/or alcohol free when
reporting to school and while at "affiliating
agencies" (including parking lots and grounds).
For all "affiliating agencies" which require
students to be subject to the agency's Drug
Testing policies, including but not limited to,
when there is reasonable suspicion to believe a
student may be impaired, or is using or has used
illegal drugs and/or alcohol, the student may be
tested in accordance with the "affiliating
agency's" policies. Prior to being assigned to
an affiliating agency, the student shall sign a
consent to allow the affiliating agency to
release any drug testing results to the College.
If tested by an "affiliating agency" the student
shall provide his/her dean/program director with
a copy of any test results. Failure to promptly
do so shall be grounds for dismissal from the
program. A positive drug or alcohol test result
shall also be grounds for dismissal from the
program.****
***The provisions in these
sentences shall also apply to students already
enrolled in a health related program at the time
of the effective date of this Rule.
****This
paragraph also applies to students already
enrolled in a health related program at the time
of the effective date of this Rule.
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