Clinical Experience
From their first weeks at Carthage, students will be challenged to apply what they learn to patient care situations. During the sophomore year, students will begin clinical work, caring for patients in many different settings — hospitals, homes, schools, and the community.
Carthage graduates will have robust clinical experiences on their resumes. Clinical partner sites are true partners in achieving the best outcomes for individuals, families, communities, and students.
We ensure safety for our clinical partners, students, and faculty. Therefore, each student participating in clinical experiences must adhere to the health and safety requirements defined by our clinical partners.
The Carthage Student Nurse Handbook is updated annually.
See the Nursing Student Handbook
Required Certification for Clinical Courses
The Nursing Department uses a data management system for verifying and storing required data. All students are required to submit required documents to this system.
Clinical compliance information is to be uploaded to the system before the start of the fall term of the sophomore year and maintained as currency throughout the student clinical experience.
BSN Health and Safety Requirements
- Annual physical exam by a credentialed health care provider
- Annual TB assessment (either two-step skin test or Quantiferon blood test)
- Varicella Vaccine or Titer (one time)
- Measles, Mumps, Rubella Titer (one time)
- Annual 10 Panel drug screen
- Hepatitis B Vaccine or Titer (one time)
- Annual Influenza Vaccine COVID vaccination and boosters (Due Oct. 1)
- Basic Life Support Certification (BLS) by the American Heart Association
- Completion of an OSHA-approved health and safety course (online module in compliance system)
- Completion of an acceptable course in HIPAA (online module in compliance system)
Additional information may be required by clinical site request.
Student Forms
- Activity Verification Form
- Carthage Annual Physical Form
- Patient Confidentiality Statement
- Health Risk Form
- Code of Conduct Form
- Handbook Acknowledgment (also available in the back of the Nursing Student Handbook)
Clinical and Lab Uniforms
You may purchase your nursing uniform at the Carthage Bookstore.
Additional Program Costs
The table below presents additional costs for which nursing students will be responsible above and beyond their tuition. These costs are incurred by regulatory requirements (example: health and safety requirements, CPR certification, etc.), ATI program fees, and graduation fees. The cost of ATI and graduation are assessed by the Office of Student Financial Services. All other items — including health fees, drug testing, uniforms, and white coats — are estimates of student costs. Prices are subject to change.
| 2027 | 2026 | 2025 | |
| AHA CPR Certification (self-pay) | $50 | $50 |
|
| Uniform & Supplies (bookstore) | $210 | $75 (white coat) | |
| Health & Safety Fees (self-pay) | $140 | $80 | $80 |
ATI Student Fees (student fee) |
$1,200 | $1,200 | $1,000 |
| Pinning, & Graduation Fees (student fee) | $100 | ||
| TOTAL | $1,600 | $1,355 | $1,230 |