Student Preparedness Permits
In order to enroll in the BScN program, students must submit documentation to obtain their student preparedness permit. Failure to complete and provide these documents will affect your ability to engage in practicum and proceed in the undergraduate program.
It is recommended that students begin obtaining the requirements below (immunization records, police record checks, etc.), in early July to ensure all documentation can be submitted by the August 12th, 2024 deadline. Some regional police departments have lengthy wait times. All documents need to be in English (translations should be certified/notarized).
All of the following documentation must be submitted via the secure web portal, Synergy. Students will receive an initial email from Synergy with their login information in June.
Make sure to:
- Upload your documents into Synergy as outlined below
- Book an Electronic Requirements Verification (ERV) review appointment through Synergy by August 12, 2024. All documents must be uploaded before your ERV appointment review date.
A student in either Year 1 or Year 2 must receive a “Pass” for their Student Preparedness Permit before August 12, 2024 or enrolment will be withheld. A fee of $48.50 will be charged by Synergy for an initial Electronic Requirements Verification (ERV) file review, and an additional fee of $10 for each subsequent follow-up review will be incurred for incomplete or unacceptable documentation.
Student Preparedness Permit Requirements
Updated requirements must be valid until June 30th of next year (June 30, 2025). Please obtain requirements between July 1 and July 31, 2024 to ensure the result is valid until the end of the 2024-2025 academic year (June 30, 2025), which will meet most clinical placement agencies’ pre-placement requirements. In some cases, an agency (e.g. Long-Term Care agency) may request certain requirements (e.g. police check and/or TB skin test) within a shorter time frame (e.g. within 6 months of the start of the placement).
Returning students in Year 2 will need to complete a new police record check – vulnerable sector check.
Student/Volunteer letters can be requested from a Student Placement Coordinator. Email nursingplacementoffice@utoronto.ca.
Police Record Check
- Initiate Police Record Check – Vulnerable Sector Check in late June. Students should obtain their VSS from their regional police department.
- City of Toronto – students who live in the City of Toronto (postal code starts with ‘M’) will be provided with the agency code for Bloomberg Nursing in order for you to submit your application. For more information, please visit the Toronto Police Service website.
- Peel, Durham, Halton, Hamilton, London, Niagara – you must apply at your specific regional police headquarters or online as indicated. For smaller communities police stations may request you obtain a record check from the Ontario Provincial Police and a student/volunteer letter from the Lawrence Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing.
- International Students
- You will need a police record check – vulnerable sector screening from that country as well as a police record check in Canada. All documentation must be in English. If necessary, students are responsible for having documents translated and notarized.
- Submit Annual Student Police Record Consent Form – Submit consent form via the secure web portal Synergy
Immunization/Health Status Requirements
- Year 1 students must complete the immunization form for new students.
- Year 2 students must complete the immunization form for returning students.
- Important information to consider when completing the immunization form:
- More information on immunization documentation can be found on our Immunization FAQ (Rev.2024).
- Ensure that both the dates of shots and lab evidence results are included where required. Forms will be considered incomplete if sections are left blank or lab results are attached separately. All forms must be signed by your health care provider.
- A negative TB test is valid for 12 months only, obtain your TB skin test between July 1- July 31 to ensure validity until the end of the academic year.
- Important information to consider when completing the immunization form:
Influenza Vaccine
Students are advised to receive the influenza vaccine each year and to provide their placement agencies proof of vaccination upon request. Students who do not receive an influenza vaccination, will need to comply with the infection control policies at their placement sites or additional measures for an outbreak.
Proof of COVID-19 Vaccination
It is mandatory to provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19.
The approved vaccines include:
- 2 Doses of the mRNA vaccines [Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty or Moderna (Spikevax) or 2 Doses of AstraZeneca (VaxZevria)]
- 2 Doses of the one of the vaccines that are approved by Health Canada PLUS 1 of mRNA vaccines listed above
- 1 Dose of Janssen/Janssen
Vaccination against COVID-19 is required in order to complete clinical placements according to our hospital and community placement partners.
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Requirement
CPR certification in Basic Life Support (BLS) is required to undertake practicum placement experiences.
All year 1 and year 2 students must obtain annual CPR (BLS) certification.
CPR certification courses are available through healthcare employers or through the following:
St. John Ambulance, Heart & Stroke Foundation, City of Toronto, and the Canadian Red Cross.
Students should time their certifications so they are covered for the full duration of the program until the end of June every year to avoid having to re-certify midway through the year and incur additional costs. Expiry dates cannot occur prior to June 30 of Year 1.
Consent Forms for Student Placements –
applicable to Year 1 students only
Submit signed Workplace Safety Student Declaration Form [PDF]
Submit signed Health Sciences Placement Network Consent Form [PDF]
Mask Fit Testing
Mask Fit Testing will take place on campus on August 26 & 27, 2024. More information on booking will be emailed to students.
All Year 1 BScN students should attend an on-campus mask fit testing at the end of August at 155 College Street Health Science Building. Sign up for a fitting appointment via a link from Advance Healthcare Solutions. More details will be sent out via email in late June 2024.
If students are not able to make the on-campus mask fit testing, appointments can be made for a N95 mask fit test at one of the hospital sites. All students should have their mask fit testing completed by no later than September 13. This will ensure students are prepared for their first clinical placement.
Submit your Mask Model Number and expiry date to the Student Placement Office once fit testing is complete.
Year 2 students should submit mask fit updates if new fit test is required. View our mask fit policy.
Onboarding Documentation
Students must complete any site or agency specific onboarding documentation or requirements prior to their first day of practicum placement at the site. Orientation information is posted on HSPnet or emailed to students by practicum sites or the Faculty of Nursing’s Student Placement Coordinators.
Student Placement Agreements
Students have access to a wide variety of practicum opportunities and settings including healthcare delivery organizations, healthcare supporting organizations, and government departments.
Students may only complete practicums within organizations with which we have formal student placement or affiliation agreements. The request for new student placement agreements can be forwarded to the Clinical Education Office, and the Clinical Education Office will attempt to secure a new student placement agreement with the organization. However, negotiation and development of new student placement agreements may take six months or longer to secure. Occasionally, it is not possible to secure a student placement agreement because of organizational policy requirements that prohibit the University of Toronto or the healthcare agency from reaching an agreement. Consequently, students, must be prepared to relocate or travel to complete some or all of their practicum experiences.
How do I get assigned a placement?
Determination of undergraduate student clinical practicum placements are made via HSPnet Student Site Selector (SSS) for all placements that do not require an application process. The HSPnet SSS process is an algorithm designed to schedule students to their preferred placements while randomizing the process to ensure equal chances for everyone. Starting with a randomly selected student, all students are matched to their first preference if available. The algorithm then attempts to match all unmatched students to their 2nd choice, and so on. The goal of the HSPnet SSS process is to match students with their top preferences.
Please note that placements can only be completed within the province of Ontario.
Student Placement Forms
These forms pertain to reporting clinical absences and extenuating circumstances.