CastleBranch (myCB) for Walden nursing students
CastleBranch is the company Walden uses to track your clinical onboarding: background check, drug screen, immunizations, health records, required trainings, and insurance. You create an account, order your program package, and complete every item inside the secure myCB portal at CastleBranch (myCB) before your practicum term starts. Walden recently partnered with DISA Healthcare to manage these records.
Last updated: June 22, 2026 · Reviewed by the Walden Preceptor placement team
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What CastleBranch covers
Think of CastleBranch as your compliance checklist with proof attached. Every requirement lives as a line in your myCB "To-Do List," and each one shows a status (incomplete, in review, or compliant) plus an expiration date. You upload documents, CastleBranch reviews them, and your practicum cannot be approved until the whole list is green. The exact items depend on your program and the state where you will train, but the core categories are consistent.
Screenings
- Background check (state-specific, 12-month window)
- Drug test (annual, within 12 months of term start)
- TB test (renews every 12 months)
- Physical examination (12-month window)
Immunizations
- MMR (two doses or a positive titer)
- Varicella (one dose or a positive titer)
- Hepatitis B (series, titer, or declination)
- Tdap (within 10 years) and seasonal flu
Trainings and certs
- HIPAA training (12-month window)
- OSHA training (12-month window)
- CPR / BLS certification (per its own expiry)
Insurance and records
- Professional liability insurance ($1M per incident / $3M aggregate), covered in our student liability insurance guide
- Health insurance documentation
- Any extra items a specific site requires
Requirement details and exact thresholds are set by Walden and can change by package and catalog year. Confirm your current list inside myCB and on the Field Experience onboarding page.
Setting up your myCB account, step by step
State-specific requirements
Your background check is not one nationwide search. Walden requires a check for each state where your practicum will happen, and many states layer on extra screens: fingerprinting, child or adult abuse registry clearances, state-specific consent forms, and clearance documents. If you train across a state line, or your site sits in a different state from where you live, expect more line items and more lead time. Kansas APRN students have their own practicum-hour rule (750 hours for new students on or after March 1, 2025), and several states attach their own clearance steps, so check your state early rather than assuming the default package covers everything. If the rotation itself crosses a state line, our out-of-state rotations guide walks through the extra steps.
Deadlines and timing
Walden's onboarding deadline is the first day of the month three months before the term begins. The exact date for your term is posted on the Field Experience website. The same three-month clock governs your Meditrek practicum application, mapped out in our practicum deadlines guide. Hitting it depends almost entirely on the background check, which is the slowest moving piece.
| Item | Typical timing |
|---|---|
| Document review (each upload) | About 3 to 7 business days |
| Background check | Several weeks, sometimes months (varies by state and county) |
| Titers and old records | Days to weeks, depending on the clinic or prior school |
| Onboarding deadline | First day of the month three months before term |
A practical rule: order your package and sign consent at least two to three months before your deadline. Background checks and drug tests must have been completed within the 12 months before term start, so timing them too early can also be a problem if a long gap pushes them past their window.
Renewals and mid-practicum expirations
Most items carry a 12-month life: background check, drug test, TB test, physical, HIPAA, and OSHA all expire after a year, and flu is seasonal. If an item lapses while you are inside a practicum course, Walden requires you to update it in CastleBranch when it expires, not at the next term. A back-to-back sequence of practicum courses can outlast a clearance, so check your expiration dates against your course calendar before each term.
Things students get wrong
- Reusing an employer's background check. Walden cannot accept a background check or drug test from another source. Even a current one for your hospital job does not count; you order a fresh one through CastleBranch.
- Forgetting the consent signature. The clock does not start until you sign. Many "stuck" accounts are simply missing that one step.
- Assuming a flag means failure. A rejected upload usually means a missing date, a blurry scan, or the wrong document. Read the alert, fix it, and re-upload.
- Leaving immunizations to the end. Titers and a missing Hep B dose can add weeks. Start these the same week you order.
Exemptions
If you cannot meet a vaccination requirement for medical or religious reasons, email nursingfield@mail.waldenu.edu to begin the exemption appeal process. Approval is decided case by case, and even with an approved exemption, some clinical sites still decline students who are not fully vaccinated, so it is worth confirming with your site as well.
When should I start my CastleBranch requirements?
Start a couple of months before your onboarding deadline, which falls on the first day of the month three months before the term. The background check is the long pole, so order your package and sign consent as early as you can.
Can Walden accept a background check I already did for work?
No. Walden states it cannot accept background checks or drug tests from another source. Both must be ordered and completed through Walden's CastleBranch (myCB) account.
How long does the background check take?
It depends on the states and counties involved. CastleBranch reviews uploaded documents in about 3 to 7 business days, but the background check itself can run several weeks to a few months.
What happens if a requirement expires during my practicum?
You update it in CastleBranch when it expires, even mid-term. Many items have 12-month windows, so a long or back-to-back practicum sequence can outlast a clearance.
What if I cannot get a required vaccination?
Email nursingfield@mail.waldenu.edu to start the exemption appeal for medical or religious reasons. Approval is case by case, and some sites still require full vaccination regardless.
Sources
- Walden Academic Guides, Nursing Field Experience, Onboarding
- Walden Academic Guides, Onboarding Process FAQ
- Walden Academic Guides, Background Check and Drug Test Renewal
- Walden University CastleBranch portal
We keep your CastleBranch list from stalling your term
Most students lose weeks not because the requirements are hard, but because one document gets flagged, one consent goes unsigned, or a background check runs into a slow county. We map your exact package, flag the long-lead items first, and keep an eye on your status so you reach compliance before the deadline. We also place you with a preceptor and site, then handle Meditrek, so onboarding and placement move together. No payment until you are matched.
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