Which Vaccines, Titers and TB Tests Do Travel Therapists Need?

Expect to show proof of the vaccines CDC recommends for all healthcare workers, proof of immunity to measles, mumps and rubella, and a TB screening when you are placed. The exact list, and whether a vaccine record will do or you need a blood test, is set by the facility and your state, so ask for the facility’s list the day you accept an offer.

By ProTherapy Staffing, published October 22, 2026.

Which vaccines does CDC recommend for healthcare workers?

CDC’s adult vaccine guidance has a section for healthcare workers: “If you work directly with patients or handle material that could spread infection, you should get appropriate vaccines to reduce the chance that you will get or spread vaccine-preventable diseases.” It names the COVID vaccine, chickenpox (varicella), flu, hepatitis B, meningococcal (“especially lab workers”), MMR, and Tdap or Td.

That list lines up with the health records in the credentialing checklist: MMR, varicella, hepatitis B, Tdap, a flu shot and, at some facilities, a COVID record. A facility can add items of its own, and some apply only in certain settings, which is why the facility’s own list is the one to work from.

What is a titer, and when will a facility ask for one?

A titer is a blood test that shows whether you have antibodies to a disease. For measles, mumps and rubella, CDC accepts several kinds of “presumptive evidence of immunity”: “Written documentation of adequate vaccines for measles, mumps, and rubella,” “Laboratory evidence of immunity,” “Laboratory confirmation of disease,” or birth before 1957. A titer is the laboratory evidence.

CDC is firm on one point: “Healthcare providers should not accept verbal reports of vaccination without written documentation as presumptive evidence of immunity.” So a vaccine record you can actually produce may be enough, and a titer is how you prove immunity when you cannot find one. Which of the two a facility accepts is its decision, so ask before you book a blood draw.

Why does hepatitis B take longer than the rest?

Because it is a series. CDC: “Hepatitis B vaccine is a series of two or three shots depending on the vaccine brand.” “If you get the three-shot series, your doctor will give them over a 6-month period. If you get the vaccine that is two doses, you will get them about one month apart.”

If your series is incomplete, pick it up as soon as you decide to travel. A gap does not mean starting over, in CDC’s words: “If you miss a dose of hepatitis B vaccine, it's okay. Be sure to get the next dose as soon as possible.”

Employers have a duty here as well. Under OSHA’s bloodborne pathogens standard, an employer must “make available the hepatitis B vaccine and vaccination series to all employees who have occupational exposure,” at no cost to the employee. On a travel contract the agency is your employer, so ask it how it handles that before you pay for doses yourself.

If you'd like a facility's health requirements in hand before you accept, ask a ProTherapy recruiter: Find my next contract.

Do travel therapists need a TB test every year?

Not under CDC’s recommendation. CDC says: “CDC recommends all U.S. health care personnel should be screened for TB upon hire,” and “Annual TB testing is not recommended unless there is a known exposure or ongoing transmission.” Screening on hire includes a risk assessment, a symptom check and a TB test, either a blood test or a skin test.

The same page adds two lines that matter for compliance packets: “State and local TB regulations may differ,” and “CDC recommendations do not override or replace state regulations.” Where a state or a facility asks for a recent test, its rule is the one your packet has to meet, so ask which test it accepts and how recent it must be.

How do you keep health records from delaying your start date?

Most delays here are records you could have found earlier. Work through these as soon as you decide to travel, alongside your license applications:

The timeline guide shows where these steps sit next to licensing and the job search.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a titer if I have my vaccine records?

Not always. CDC accepts written documentation of adequate measles, mumps and rubella vaccination as presumptive evidence of immunity, and laboratory evidence such as a titer is another route. The facility decides which it accepts, so ask before you book a blood draw.

Do travel therapists need a TB test every year?

CDC recommends TB screening upon hire and says annual TB testing is not recommended unless there is a known exposure or ongoing transmission. State and local regulations may differ, and a facility's own policy applies to its packet.

How long does the hepatitis B vaccine series take?

CDC says the three-shot series is given over a 6-month period, and the two-dose vaccine is given about one month apart. If you miss a dose, CDC says to get the next dose as soon as possible.

Sources

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