State Immunization Laws for Healthcare
Workers and Patients

Immunization Administration Requirements
For State: TN

** Click on each result to read the abridged text of the state immunization law.

Patient Type	Vaccine	Requirement
Hospital Employees	Hepatitis B[1]	No
	Influenza[2]	Offer[512]
	MMR[3]	No
	Varicella[4]	No
	Pneumococcal[5]	No
	Medical(M),Religious(R), or Philosophical(P) Exemptions[6]	No
Hospital Inpatients	Influenza[7]	Offer[508]
	Pneumococcal[8]	Offer[509]
	Medical(M),Religious(R), or Philosophical(P) Exemptions[9]	No
Individual Providers' Patients	Any Immunization[10]	No
	Medical(M),Religious(R), or Philosophical(P) Exemptions[11]	No
Ambulatory Care Facilities Employees	Any Immunization[12]	Offer[513]
	Medical(M),Religious(R), or Philosophical(P) Exemptions[13]	No
Ambulatory Care Facilities Patients	Any Immunization[14]	No
	Medical(M),Religious(R), or Philosophical(P) Exemptions[15]	No
Correctional Inmates and Residents	Any Immunization[16]	No
	Medical(M),Religious(R), or Philosophical(P) Exemptions[17]	No
Developmentally Disabled Facility Residents	Any Immunization[18]	Ensure[254]
	Medical(M),Religious(R), or Philosophical(P) Exemptions[19]	Yes – (M)[255]
	[]

[1] Does the jurisdiction require that any hospitals offer hepatitis B vaccine to any employees of the hospital, or ensure that any such employees are vaccinated with hepatitis B vaccine?
[2] Does the jurisdiction require that any hospitals offer influenza vaccine to any employees of the hospital, or ensure that any such employees are vaccinated with influenza vaccine?
[3] Does the jurisdiction require that any hospitals offer measles/mumps/rubella (MMR) vaccine (or any component thereof) to any employees of the hospital, or ensure that any such employees are vaccinated with MMR vaccine?
[4] Does the jurisdiction require that any hospitals offer varicella vaccine to any employees of the hospital, or ensure that any such employees are vaccinated with varicella vaccine?
[5] Does the jurisdiction require that any hospitals offer pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine to any employees of the hospital, or ensure that any such employees are vaccinated with pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine?	Top of Page
[6] If any hospitals are required to ensure that any hospital employees are vaccinated with hepatitis B, influenza, MMR, varicella or pneumococcal vaccine, does the jurisdiction provide any medical, religious or philosophical exemptions to such administration requirements?
[7] Does the jurisdiction require that any hospitals offer any inpatients of the hospital influenza vaccine, or ensure that any inpatients are vaccinated with influenza vaccine?
[8] Does the jurisdiction require that any hospitals offer any inpatients of the hospital pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine, or ensure that any inpatients are vaccinated with pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine?
[9] If any hospitals are required to ensure that any hospital inpatients are vaccinated with influenza or pneumococcal vaccines, does the jurisdiction provide any medical, religious or philosophical exemptions to such administration requirements?	Top of Page
[10] Does the jurisdiction require that any individual healthcare providers offer any vaccinations to any patients, or ensure that any patients are vaccinated with any vaccines?
[11] If any individual providers are required to ensure that any of their patients are vaccinated with any vaccines, does the jurisdiction provide any medical, religious or philosophical exemptions to such administration requirements?
[12] Does the jurisdiction require that any ambulatory care facilities offer any vaccinations to any employees, or ensure that any employees are vaccinated with any vaccines?
[13] If any ambulatory care facilities are required to ensure that any employees are vaccinated with any vaccines, does the jurisdiction provide any medical, religious or philosophical exemptions to such administration requirements?	Top of Page
[14] Does the jurisdiction require that any ambulatory care facilities offer any vaccinations to any patients, or ensure that any patients are vaccinated with any vaccines?
[15] If any ambulatory care facilities are required to ensure that any patients are vaccinated with any vaccines, does the jurisdiction provide for any medical, religious or philosophical exemptions to such administration requirements?
[16] Does the jurisdiction require that any correctional facilities or juvenile detention centers offer any vaccinations to any inmates or juveniles, or ensure that any inmates or juveniles are vaccinated with any vaccines?
[17] If any correctional centers or juvenile detention centers are required to ensure that any inmates or juveniles are vaccinated with any vaccines, does the jurisdiction provide for any medical, religious or philosophical exemptions to such administration requirements?	Top of Page
[18] Does the jurisdiction require that any residential facilities for the developmentally disabled or mentally retarded offer any residents any vaccinations, or ensure that any residents are vaccinated with any vaccines?
[19] If any residential facilities for the developmentally disabled or mentally retarded are required to ensure that any residents are vaccinated with any vaccines, does the jurisdiction provide for any medical, religious or philosophical exemptions to such administration requirements?
[254] For Tennessee requirements, see Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0250-4-2-.07, relating to “group care homes,” Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0250-4-5-.07, relating to “residential child caring agencies,” Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0940-5-1-.05, relating to “mental retardation institutional habilitation facilities,” and Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0940-5-24-.01, relating to “mental retardation residential habilitation facilities.” Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0250-4-2-.07 and Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0250-4-5-.07 provide that the following immunizations shall be begun before admission and must be completed within 6 months: diphtheria, whooping cough (for children under 7 years of age), tetanus, polio, measles, rubella, mumps and others recommended by the physician. Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0940-5-1-.05 requires the facility to ensure that each client is provided with immunizations as required by the Department of Health and Environment unless contraindicated by a physician’s order. Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0940-5-24-.01 requires the facility to require that a service recipient receive immunizations as required by the Department of Health unless contraindicated by a doctor’s written orders. Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-17-1603  defines “group care homes” as a home operated by any person, society, agency, corporation, or institution, or any group which receives 7 or more children for full-time care outside their own homes in facilities owned or rented and operated by the organization. A plain reading of the broad language used to describe “group care homes” suggests that the statutory definition would cover residential facilities for the developmentally disabled or mentally retarded. Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0250-4-5-.01 defines “residential child caring agencies” as any institution, society, agency, or facility, whether incorporated or not, which either primarily or incidentally provides full time care for 13 or more children under 17 years of age outside their own homes in facilities owned or rented and operated by the organization. For licensing purposes this definition is further expanded to mean the full-time care of 13 or more children in one or more buildings on contiguous property with one administrator. A plain reading of the broad language used to describe “residential child caring agencies” suggests that the statutory definition would cover residential facilities for the developmentally disabled or mentally retarded.
[255] For Tennessee, for medical exemptions to the immunization administration requirements set forth in Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0250-4-2-.07, relating to “group care homes,” Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0250-4-5-.07, relating to “residential child caring agencies,” and Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0940-5-24-.01, relating to “mental retardation residential habilitation facilities,” see Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0250-4-2-.07, Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0250-4-5-.07, and Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0940-5-24-.01. Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0250-4-2-.07 and Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0250-4-5-.07 provide that immunization administration requirements are inapplicable where there is a medical reason to the contrary, certified by the child’s physician. Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0940-5-24-.01 provides that immunization administration requirements are inapplicable where contraindicated by a doctor’s written orders.	Top of Page
[508] For Tennessee requirements, see Tenn. Code Ann. § 68-11-266, providing that in accordance with the latest recommendations of the advisory committee on immunization practices of the centers for disease control, and subject to the availability of vaccine, each year from October 1 through March 1, prior to discharging any inpatient who is sixty-five (65) years of age or older, a hospital shall offer the inpatient immunization for influenza and pneumococcal diseases.
[509] For Tennessee requirements, see Tenn. Code Ann. § 68-11-266, providing that in accordance with the latest recommendations of the advisory committee on immunization practices of the centers for disease control, and subject to the availability of vaccine, each year from October 1 through March 1, prior to discharging any inpatient who is sixty-five (65) years of age or older, a hospital shall offer the inpatient immunization for influenza and pneumococcal diseases.
[512] For Tennessee requirements, see Tenn. Comp. R. and Regs. 1200-8-1-.06 (2007), relating to standards for hospitals. Tenn. Comp. R. and Regs. 1200-8-1-.06(3)(f) provides that the facility shall have an annual influenza vaccination program which shall include at least the offer of influenza vaccination to all staff and independent practitioners or accept documented evidence of vaccination from another vaccine source or facility.The program shall also include a signed declination statement on record from all who refuse vaccination for other than medical contraindications, education of direct care personnel about influenza transmission and control, and an annual evaluation of the program including reasons for non-participation.
[513] For Tennessee requirements, see Tenn. Comp. R. and Regs. 1200-8-10-.04 (2007), relating to standards for ambulatory surgical treatment centers. Tenn. Comp. R. and Regs. 1200-8-10-.04(20)(f) provides that the facility shall have an annual influenza vaccination program which shall include at least the offer of influenza vaccination to all staff and independent practitioners or accept documented evidence of vaccination from another vaccine source or facility.The program shall also include a signed declination statement on record from all who refuse vaccination for other than medical contraindications, education of direct care personnel about influenza transmission and control, and an annual evaluation of the program including reasons for non-participation.	Top of Page

Disclaimer: The purpose of this database is to provide researchers, policymakers, and state and local public health practitioners with descriptive information concerning state immunization-related law. No part of this legal analysis involves providing legal advice or answering specific questions of law on behalf of any person or organization.