We require documentation of 3 Hep B vaccs AND positive titer to ensure life long immunity as recommended by CDC. We start the series over if they don’t have documentation and only a titer. If documentation and no titer, we draw a titer.

Thank you.

 

 

 

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I find when I have a series vaccination record but no titer, and I test them, some of them do not have immunity to Hepatitis B. Therefore I take the vaccination dates but always run a titer, and don’t consider them completed in my charts unless they have a positive titer or a declination signed, and if they are negative I offer the series again.

 

 

 

Most of our applicants evidently don’t come with records of either. 

 

Which raises a question.  Hepatitis B vaccination is recommended by CDC, but is not required by OSHA, as I understand it.  Do any of your institutions require Hepatitis B vaccination/immunity to hire or continue working?

 

Scott Grubbs, MD

WorkWell Occupational Health

St. Francis Hospital System

Greenville, SC

 

 

 

 

 

Greetings;

 

CDC states that healthcare workers must have documentation of 3 valid HepB vaccinations followed by titer to determine immunity. 

 

Clinician Consultation Center states “ If exposed person is known to be immune (e.g., they were told they had a positive response to a complete HBV vaccine series, indicated by post-vaccination HBsAb titer …), they are considered to have lifelong immunity and need no hepatitis B testing or post-exposure treatment. 

 

 

Many healthcare workers come in with no or partial documentation of completing a HBV vaccine series but most have documentation of a positive HBsAb titer.  Does your facility accept documentation of completed HBV series and/or HBsAb titer to confirm immunity?  Or so you require documentation for both?

 

If worker (History as above) later has exposure to positive HBV source patient how do you follow-up with them?  Do you follow the Clinician Consultation Center Recommendations for Post-Exposure Prophylaxis After HBV Exposure under the category of “Unvaccinated or Incompletely Vaccinated” and follow-up for 6 months ?  Or would you do another HBsAb titer?

 

 

Thanks for any responses, it all helps.

 

Therese

Therese Bovee McKelvey, MN, RN  Sr. Employee Health Nurse - Employee Health

425.899.2278 (P)  |  425.899.2277 (F)  | TMBoveeMcKelvey@evergreenhealth.com

EvergreenHealth MS-42, 12040 NE 128th St., Kirkland, WA 98034

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