Requirements for Conditionally Admitted Generic and 2nd degree BSN Students before Admission

Place an order for a CastleBranch Compliance Tracker on the following website. https://utrgv.castlebranch.com. Complete this step within 7-10 calendar days of receiving your Welcome letter. 

• There is a one-time $30 package cost for your document tracker and a $1.99 service fee. 
• The required documentation listed below will need to be submitted via CastleBranch 30 calendar days before your date of admission (first class day). 
• Check your CastleBranch TO DO List regularly and review any email reminders and notices you receive from CastleBranch and the UTRGV School of Nursing.
• Any rejected vaccinations or other items in CastleBranch will need to be reviewed by the appropriate BSN Program Coordinator.

If you have questions regarding CastleBranch requirements, contact Lourdes Sanchez, Program Coordinator-Student Services, lourdes.sanchez@utrgv.edu.

NOTE: The CB Bridges™ platform is a hub for managing important requirements throughout your clinical experience. Some students may be required to pay approximately $40 for CastleBranch-Bridges annually (the cost may vary depending on the modules the hospital utilizes).  If you are required to sign up for CB-Bridges in addition to CastleBranch, you will be notified by and provided instructions by your UTRGV clinical faculty.  Please wait to hear from your clinical faculty if you are required to register for CB-Bridges.

Make your Drug Test appointment and take your required 10-Panel Drug Test at the facility and location designated by CastleBranch on the above form.  Do not forget to take the form with the barcode to the facility along with a government-issued photo ID to your appointment.

Complete this step after receiving your instructions from CastleBranch as it takes approximately five business days for the results to be received and reviewed by CastleBranch and you want to allow enough time in case there are any issues with the drug test before the deadline.

Results are sent from the Drug Testing facility to CastleBranch via the barcode on your CastleBranch Drug Screen Registration form.

Conditionally accepted students are required to have negative drug test results confirmed by CastleBranch 30 calendar days before the first-class day or your conditional acceptance may be withdrawn.

Read the email you will receive in 2 to 3 weeks from IDENTOGO. The email will go to the email address you provided on the notice about background checks and Declaratory Orders in your School of Nursing application or your acceptance acknowledgment.

• Check your email regularly, as it includes instructions to schedule your fingerprint appointment as required for the Texas Board of Nursing (BON) to run your background checks.
• If you have not received the email after three weeks of receiving your conditional acceptance letter, contact the Texas Board of Nursing at 512-305-7400 to check the status.
• Once you receive a background clearance, TBON will mail your Blue Card, which looks like a blue postcard. 
• If you are not officially cleared by TBON 30 calendar days or sooner prior to the first-class day, you cannot be admitted into the BSN program and your conditional acceptance offer may be withdrawn.

Review the Newly Admitted FAQS. 

CastleBranch required immunization and other uploads, in addition to the negative 10-panel drug test results: 

1. Absence of active pulmonary disease (negative PPD skin test or negative chest x-ray results).   Tuberculosis (TB)    

1. If PPD Skin Test is done, it must be done yearly and have a negative result. 
2. If TB Gold Blood Test (QuantiFERON-TB) is done, it must be a negative result. 
3. If a Chest X-ray is done, it must be a negative result. 
4. If PPD Skin Test and/or TB Gold Blood Test are positive, then a chest X-ray must be done and show a negative result. 

2. Hepatitis B vaccine (a series of 3 injections at 0, 1, and 6 months).  

1. The Hepatitis B schedule requires 6 months to complete. The series consists of 3 injections administered at 0, 1 month, and 6 months. 

For example, if you were to start the process on June 24, 2025, Dose #1 would be 06/24/2025, Dose #2 would be 07/24/2025, and Dose #3 would be 12/24/2025.  

You can receive the first 2 of 3 doses before the due date for your fall 2025 start, but you would need to get a Hep B Titer drawn 4 weeks - 8 weeks after receiving Dose #2 to verify immunity. If you have immunity, you should be cleared to start our program and complete the REQUIRED 3rd dose in December 2025. However, if the Titer results reflect that you do not have immunity, you will not be allowed to start our program, as this is a MANDATORY CLINICAL REQUIREMENT required by our clinical partners and prohibits you from attending the REQUIRED CLINICAL course.  

3. Tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis (TDaP) or  Tetanus and Diphtheria (TD) vaccine; recommended for people 19+ years of age.    

1. The DT is for age 7 years and younger only. The TD is for older children and adults. Same with DTaP, it is for infants and children, whereas TDaP is for older children and adults. You can receive the TDaP in place of the TD, the only difference is that the TDaP includes the pertussis vaccine (protects against whooping cough) and the TD does not.  
2. The TD or TDaP is required every 10 years. 

1. Two doses of the Varicella vaccine are required.  
2. In the absence of the 2 Varicella vaccine requirement, a Varicella Titer can be done and must show a positive result (Immunity). 
3. If the Varicella Titer is negative (Non-Immune), you must receive the 2 required Varicella vaccines per vaccine schedule (28 days apart). 

1. Proof of 2 doses of MMR vaccines is required. 
2. In the absence of vaccines, an MMR Titer can be done and must show positive results (Immunity). 
3. If the MMR Titer is negative (Non-Immune), you must receive the 2 required MMR vaccines per vaccine schedule (28 days apart). 

If the new seasonal flu vaccination is not available at the time you are completing the CastleBranch upload requirements, you will need to receive your flu/influenza vaccine before you start your classes and upload it to CastleBranch at that time. 

1. The new CDC strain is released in August/September of each year. You are required to receive the new strain every year in September, and it is good through the flu season that officially ends on March 31 of each year. If you are a summer admission, you are not required to receive the flu vaccine till September of that year.  

7. COVID Vaccine: No COVID-19 vaccination information needs to be uploaded at this time.  Although it is not a UTRGV requirement to have a COVID-19 vaccine, you may need to have the vaccine to meet the requirements of the healthcare facility where you will be conducting your clinicals. Your clinical site may require the COVID-19 vaccine and boosters to participate in clinical activities.  

8. Proof of current certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), health care provider adult & child, through the American Heart Association. NOTE: American Red Cross CPR and any online certifications are not acceptable.   

9. Copy (front & back) of the Texas Board of Nursing’s (TBON) blue postcard or Completed Criminal Background Clearance Letter or Outcome Letter showing eligibility to sit for NCLEX.