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Compliance & Onboarding

Welcome to the UW School of Nursing! Students must meet Health Sciences and School of Nursing compliance requirements prior to program start and throughout enrollment. The Office of Student & Academic Affairs monitors compliance on a quarterly basis, including:

  • Student training
  • Licensure
  • Policy agreements
  • Background checks, and
  • HSIP immunizations

You will receive notifications about upcoming expiration dates, but students are responsible for ensuring all compliance items remain current to avoid interruptions to clinical or academic progress. Please bookmark nscomply@uw.edu as your primary point of contact for compliance-related questions.

The OSAA Compliance Team’s role is to clearly communicate requirements and timelines, and to provide guidance when questions arise. The students’ role is to review all materials carefully, monitor their compliance progress, and take timely action to remain in good standing and avoid delays or disruptions.

Students must be fully compliant at least 6 weeks prior to the start of the quarter (per the UW Academic Calendar) to allow time for clinical onboarding.

Compliance items that require renewal include CPR, TB, TDAP, health insurance, the UW Privacy Agreement, and background check. If an item expires during the quarter, it must be renewed by the quarterly deadline for that requirement.

Please refer to the School of Nursing Policies on Clinical Education (Policy 3.1-3.5) for more information.

Compliance information

Quarter Compliance items that expire on or before… Renew by
Winter 2026
Start Date: Jan 5, 2026
End Date: Mar 20, 2026
Reg. Period 1: Oct 30, 2025
March 19, 2026 Friday, November 14, 2025
Spring 2026
Start Date: Mar 30, 2026
End Date: Jun 12, 2026
Reg. Period 1: Feb 12, 2026
June 11, 2026 Friday, February 13, 2026
Summer 2026
Start Date: Jun 22, 2026
End Date: Aug 21, 2026
Reg. Period 1: Apr 13, 2026
August 20, 2026 Friday, May 8, 2026
Fall 2026
Start Date: Sep 30, 2026
End Date: Dec 18, 2026
Reg. Period 1: May 7, 2026
December 17, 2026 Friday, August 7, 2026
Fall 2026
Start Date: Sep 30, 2026
End Date: Dec 18, 2026
Reg. Period 1: May 7, 2026
December 17, 2026 Friday, August 7, 2026

Item Cost Notes
CastleBranch Account $107 Includes one-time registration fee and initial WA state background check
Med+Proctor Account Registration – HSIP $24 Refer to HSIP Med+Proctor documentation
WA State Background Check $27 Required annually
Immunizations, Trainings, and Renewals Varies Depends on insurance provider
CPNW Account Registration $75 – $115 Required for clinical site onboarding

These forms may be required as part of the renewal process once a requirement has expired or part of your onboarding requirements. While the forms are available within your CastleBranch tracker, this section is provided as an additional reference should you encounter difficulty accessing the forms through CastleBranch.

Join us for a Compliance Q&A session to learn about the compliance process, your responsibilities, and key deadlines. Each session is designed for newly admitted students and focuses on pre-admission requirements. Questions outside of these topics may not be addressed.

For additional support, contact the Compliance Team at nscomply@uw.edu.

Session topics include:

  • Meet your compliance specialists
  • Why compliance matters
  • Step-by-step compliance process
  • Student roles and expectations
  • Tips & best practices
  • Key dates & deadlines
  • Open Q&A

 

Q&A Session #1
Friday, January 23, 2026
02:00 PM PDT

https://washington.zoom.us/s/92011752524

Date Link
Q&A Session #2
Thursday, February 5, 2026
02:00 PM PDT
https://washington.zoom.us/s/99599468805
Q&A Session #3
Thursday, March 12, 2026
02:00 PM PDT
https://washington.zoom.us/j/98332348859

 

 

All nursing students must meet compliance requirements set by the School of Nursing Office of Clinical Placements and Compliance, the UW Health Science Immunization Program (HSIP), and our affiliated clinical partners. These include trainings, certifications, vaccinations, and more.

If you are on the waitlist, it’s important to be prepared. Clinical sites require students to be fully compliant at least six weeks before the quarter begins. Applicants admitted from the waitlist often face a tight timeline, so we encourage you to plan ahead and be ready to complete requirements quickly if offered admission.

What to do now:

  • School of Nursing Requirements: Review the document sent to your application email address for SON-specific requirements.
  • UW HSIP/Immunization Requirements: Review the document sent to your application email address for HSIP details.

Further instructions on documenting and submitting your compliance items will be provided if you are admitted. In the meantime, creating a plan will help you avoid delays in admission or onboarding.

For questions, contact the Compliance Team at nscomply@uw.edu.

Expired or missing compliance items will result in an administrative hold, which may prevent you from:

  • Registering for classes
  • Using financial aid
  • Attending clinical rotations

Students whose compliance items expire while enrolled in a clinical course are not permitted to continue clinicals until compliance is restored. Failure to renew requirements in a timely manner may disrupt clinical placement, result in removal from the course, and impact course progression.

Contact your compliance specialist at nscomply@uw.edu for questions regarding account holds.

Please add “HOLD on [STUDENT NAME] ACCOUNT” in the subject line so we can respond to you faster.

Compliance partners & registration instructions

Compliance partners & registration instructions

CastleBranch

The UW School of Nursing partners with CastleBranch for background checks, document tracking, and compliance monitoring.

Please do not create your tracker until you have been instructed to do so by SoN Compliance.

To create your School of Nursing Compliance CastleBranch account:

  1. Click HERE to visit the CastleBranch registration page
  2. Enter the appropriate package code:
    • UQ79 if you are an undergraduate student (enrolling into ABSN or BSN program) OR
    • UQ78bg if you are a graduate student (enrolling into DNP, PhD, MS, Certificates)
  3. Follow the on-screen instructions to:
    • Create your account (register with UW email)
    • Complete your national and state background check (annual requirement with renewal fee)
    • Upload required documents and certifications
      • Please note for CPR/BLS certification: American Heart Association – Basic Life Support (BLS) only (renewal every 2 years)
  4. Complete the following UW-required trainings:
    1. UW Medicine HIPAA Training
      1. Online training
      2. Only UW Medicine HIPAA training is accepted
      3. Login details available in CastleBranch
      4. If you’ve already completed this course through UW Medicine, you may submit your certificate of completion.
    2. Managing Laboratory Chemicals Training
      1. Brief online training
      2. Requires UW student credentials
      3. Instructions provided in CastleBranch
    3. Additional Requirements
      1. Listed on your UQ79 tracker that mention UW student number/NET ID required.
  5. Refer to your UQ79 or UQ78bg tracker for the complete and current list of required items

Email nscomply@uw.edu if you have any questions or rejections made by CastleBranch to any compliance material.

Immunization & TB Screening Requirements

By accepting enrollment into the UW School of Nursing, students agree to meet immunization and TB screening requirements in accordance with CDC guidelines for healthcare personnel and the Health Sciences Immunization Program (HSIP).

Students must comply with HSIP requirements upon enrollment and continue to meet all requirements throughout their program, even if requirements change during their enrollment.

In addition, students are responsible for meeting any additional requirements set by their clinical training sites, which may differ from HSIP guidelines.

Failure to complete or maintain required immunizations and screenings may prevent students from registering for upcoming quarters.

Med+Proctor Account Requirement

All students must create a Med+Proctor account (HSIP’s secure, web-based vendor) to submit:

  • Immunization records
  • Antibody titers
  • TB screening documentation

Students are strongly encouraged to create their account and begin submitting documents as soon as possible.

Additional information can be found on the HSIP webpage.

How to Set Up Your Med+Proctor Account

Once you receive your UW NetID, follow these steps:

  1. Go to Med+Proctor and create your account (Google Chrome is the preferred browser.)
  2. Confirm your date of birth using the format: MM/DD/YEAR
  3. Complete required agreements and questionnaires:
    • Sign the End User License Agreement (EULA)
    • Agree to the HSIP Authorization Agreement
    • Complete the Childhood Attestation
    • Complete the TB Risk Assessment (found in the sidebar)
  4. Pay the one-time account setup fee (Paid directly to Med+Proctor.)
  5. Upload your documents
    • Accepted formats: PDF, PNG, JPEG
    • HEIC files are not accepted (Apple photo format)

Please visit the HSIP webpage for additional information and contact information for assistance.

Undergraduate students will register for an account with Clinical Placements Northwest to complete additional training modules for clinical sites. Training includes, but is not limited to, bloodborne pathogens, patient rights/safety, and standard precautions.

ABSN Codes BSN Codes DNP Codes
Student 86-36 85-36 235-36
Faculty 86-27 85-27 235-27

You will need to complete eLearning modules annually. We prefer that you take the modules during July-August, as you will need to renew them before the start of the next year.

The CPNW website also includes links to site-specific paperwork and onboarding requirements for some clinical sites. If your site is not listed in CPNW, wait to hear from your clinical instructor.

DNP students

DNP students are only required to create a CPNW account if their clinical site requires it. Clinical practice begins in the second year of the program, during spring quarter. Once you receive confirmation from your Clinical Placement Coordinator, check your clinical site’s Canvas page to see if a CPNW account is needed. If CPNW is not mentioned, you do not need to create an account. You must repeat this process each quarter for every new clinical site assignment throughout your program.

Register online

Register for a CPNW account using the appropriate access code below. Allow 48-72 hours for account approval.

For technical support, email support@cpnw.org or nscomply@uw.edu.

Renewing compliance requirements

Renewing Compliance Requirements

Requirement Renewal Timeline Applies To Notes / Links
Washington State Background Check 1 year All students BSN/ABSN renewal
DNP renewal
Background Check Disclosure Form 1 year All students Not the same as the background check
UW PCISA (Privacy, Confidentiality & Information Security Agreement) 1 year All students
Health Insurance 1 year All students
BLS–AHA CPR Training 2 years All students
CPNW Modules 1 year BSN and ABSN: Required; DNP: Only if clinical site requires Check your site’s Canvas onboarding page; if site page does not mention a CPNW account, this is not required
RN License Varies DNP only Renew ~2 weeks before expiration; renewal may open only within 3 months of expiry
Tuberculosis Screening 1 year All students One initial TB screening is required at the time of admission, followed by an annual TB Risk Assessment form. Additional documentation is required if you have a positive screening (see HSIP website HERE).
Tdap Vaccination 10 years All students Renew with Td
Hepatitis B Vaccination Complete series once All students Follow CastleBranch UX64 tracker if the series is not complete

Additional requirements may be introduced by UW, HSIP, or clinical sites to uphold professional and safety standards. Students must meet all requirements to remain enrolled.

Even though renewal periods are listed above, you may need to renew up to 3 months early to stay compliant.

  • Clinical sites require proof of completion 6 weeks before the quarter starts.
  • Document review by both the School of Nursing and the sites can take another 2 weeks.

Because of this, compliance deadlines typically fall 6–8 weeks before the quarter begins. Deadlines are strictly enforced by clinical sites—late renewals can delay or prevent your placement.

Check the compliance deadlines in your quarterly reminder document and on this web page to stay on track.

All compliance items must remain current through the last day of each quarter (the final day of exam week; see the UW Academic Calendar).

Renewals must be completed by the compliance deadlines listed in your quarterly reminder document and on this web page.

Sample compliance checklist for nursing students

Frequently asked questions

Compliance FAQs

All UW Seattle School of Nursing students must meet compliance requirements set by the UW Health Science Immunization Program, the School of Nursing, and our affiliated clinical sites. As guests of these sites, students are expected to maintain the highest professional and safety standards by completing required immunizations, trainings, and documentation.

Compliance is managed through two platforms: CastleBranch and CPNW. Requirements in these systems must stay current throughout your program. Many items need periodic renewal, and some may be due earlier than the expiration date shown in the system—clinical sites can request verification up to 8 weeks before each quarter begins.

It is your responsibility to track renewal dates and complete items by the posted compliance deadlines to ensure a smooth clinical onboarding process.

For help at any point, email nscomply@uw.edu.

  • CastleBranch is the secure system where you upload and store your immunization records, trainings, and other required documents for clinical sites.
  • CPNW is used by certain clinical partners in the CPNW consortium to manage onboarding. Through this platform, you’ll complete training modules and upload your clinical passport. Some sites, like UW Medical Center, prefer to receive passports by email instead.

Each site sets its own requirements, even within the consortium. Be sure to check your UW email regularly for updates.
Who needs a CPNW account?

  • ABSN and BSN students: Always required, since you will rotate through at least one CPNW site.
  • DNP students: Only required if your site’s onboarding instructions specify CPNW.

Clinical passports are required at all sites. They document your clinical experiences, competencies, and immunizations in a standardized format, making it easier to track your progress and confirm that you’ve met essential requirements for practice.

As a guest in each healthcare setting, your passport also reflects your professionalism and commitment to patient safety—key qualities in your development as a future nurse.

You must renew your clinical passport every quarter, even if none of your items are expiring. This ensures your record stays accurate and up to date, as required by clinical sites.

Regular renewal keeps you prepared for unexpected changes or new opportunities and demonstrates your commitment to maintaining high standards in clinical practice.

Clinical placements and compliance are separate processes, with each team handling different responsibilities that seldom overlap.

  • Clinical Placements Team: Arranges your placement by working with clinical sites and curriculum specialists to secure clinical hours. Contact: sonocp@uw.edu
  • Compliance Team: Ensures you meet site-specific requirements (such as trainings, immunizations, and onboarding), including items beyond CastleBranch and CPNW. Contact: nscomply@uw.edu

In short, placements determine where you go, and compliance ensures you’re cleared to be there.

Clinical sites review student onboarding documents 6–8 weeks before the quarter begins. They must confirm that your immunizations, trainings, and certifications will remain valid for your entire rotation.

Renewing early helps sites meet legal and safety standards and gives them time to process documents for all students across multiple schools. This advance planning keeps your onboarding on track and ensures you’re ready for your clinical placement.

  • ABSN and BSN students: Yes. A CPNW account is always required since you will rotate at a consortium site during your program.
  • DNP students: Only if your site’s Canvas onboarding instructions tell you to create one. Clinical rotations begin in Spring of your second year. When you receive your placement confirmation email, check your site’s Canvas page right away to see if CPNW is required.

Allow up to 72 hours for account approval after registration, and give yourself enough time to complete the CPNW eLearning modules. Clinical sites will not review your onboarding until all modules are finished and current.

If you take a Leave of Absence (LOA), here’s what you need to do:

  1. Notify us by email – After your LOA is approved by your DNP adviser, email nscomply@uw.edu and CC dnpclinicals@uw.edu. Include:
    • Your cohort year
    • The quarter/year your LOA begins
    • The quarter/year you plan to return
    • Confirmation that you will not be enrolled in non-clinical courses during your LOA
  2. Compliance during your LOA – You do not need to keep your compliance items current while on LOA.
  3. Important distinction – An LOA is different from simply not completing a clinical rotation. If you remain enrolled in any courses (even non-clinical), you must keep all compliance requirements up to date.

For more help