BLOOD-BORNE PATHOGENS EXPOSURE PROTOCOL ON-CAMPUS LABORATORY EXPERIENCES STUDENT PROCEDURES MARCH 2015 STUDENT COMPLIANCE OFFICE 651.690.7781 Page 1 of 9
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The following is the student responsibilities regarding potential exposure to blood borne pathogens in St. Catherine University classrooms/student laboratories. 1. Each St. Catherine University program involving on-site student laboratory experiences in which the potential exists for possible needle-stick, blood/bodily fluid exposure, or uses equipment that could cause possible injury, shall provide health and safety information to all students regarding but not limited to: proper use of needles, lancets and other sharp equipment; proper application and use of protective barriers, e.g. gloves, gowns, masks and shields when appropriate; proper disposal of any/all contaminated equipment and wipes; proper first aid procedures to be immediately initiated in the event of needle-stick, blood/body fluid exposure, or other injury. As a student, you are responsible for your own safety and the safety of other students, instructors and staff in the laboratories in which you are enrolled. 2. As a student, you are responsible for your own immune status. St. Catherine University requires that you complete the hepatitis B vaccine series prior to student laboratory exercises, completing at least two of the three shot series before participating lab exercises. The full series takes six (6) months to complete. 3. As a student, you are responsible for your own health care coverage. St. Catherine University requires that each student be enrolled in a personal health insurance plan or one provided by the College. The CSC Health & Wellness Center provides information on student health insurance plans. 4. Should an incident or injury occur, students are responsible for immediately reporting any laboratory accident, needle-stick or lancet-stick accident, or any blood/bodily fluid exposure to the laboratory instructor. 5. Should an incident or injury occur, the exposed and/or source students are responsible for initiating follow-up testing when necessary. Testing should be initiated within 24 hours and results made available to each student for appropriate follow-up as soon as possible. This is essential so that any treatment, if needed, can begin within 48 hours of the incident. 6. In the event of an exposure incident, the source student will be asked to voluntarily and confidentially report to the faculty member his/her known HIV status (if HIV positive or in a known high-risk category). This is essential so that the exposed student, if at risk of exposure to HIV, can be counseled to seek medical consultation within ONE hour. Page 3 of 9
Definition of "high risk category" includes: If you have ever used needles to take drugs, steroids, or anything not prescribed by your doctor If you are a male who has had sexual contact with another male, even once, since 1977 If you have ever taken money, drugs or other payment for sex since 1977 If you have had sexual contact in the past 12 months with anyone described above If you have received clotting factor concentrates for a bleeding disorder such as hemophilia If you were born in, or lived in, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea,Gabon, Niger, or Nigeria, since 1977 since 1977, received a blood transfusion or medical treatment with a blood product in any of these countries, or had sex with anyone who, since 1977, was born in or lived in any of these countries. The following are steps for student to follow in the event of a student to student needle stick or exposure occurrence in a classroom/laboratory setting. In the event you experience a needle-stick or exposure to blood or body fluids while participating in your campus classroom/laboratory experience, it is CRITICAL that you take IMMEDIATE steps to control the severity of the situation. The following steps are REQUIRED: 1. In the event of a stick or exposure, please contact the laboratory instructor IMMEDIATELY. 2. IMMEDIATELY initiate first aid procedures: (1) Wash needle sticks and cuts with soap and water. (2) Flush splashes to the nose, mouth, or skin with water. (3) Flush your eyes out with clean water, saline, or sterile irrigants (rinsing fluids). 3. Ask the laboratory instructor to review this copy of the On-Campus Laboratory Experiences Student Procedures with you. Assume responsibility for establishing a communication timetable with the exposed or source student involved. Note the dates and times that testing will be done and the test results will be available. The source student is encouraged to share necessary information with the exposed student. Page 4 of 9
4. The source student is encouraged to voluntarily and confidentially report any knowledge of his/her HIV status (if known HIV positive or in a high-risk category as defined on page 1) and hepatitis status to the faculty member. The faculty member will then advise the exposed student, within ONE hour, if immediate medical consultation in an emergency facility is recommended. 5. Each (source and exposed) student is encouraged to initiate a hepatitis testing panel and HIV testing within 24 hours and provide test results so that treatment of the exposed student, if necessary, can be initiated within 48 hours. Required tests include: HIV Screen, Hepatitis B Surface Antigen test, Hepatitis B Surface Antibody test, Hepatitis B Core Antibody test, and Hepatitis C Antibody test. The following testing/treatment options apply: A. You may go to your health care provider, such as private physician, or urgent care facility. The costs incurred for testing or treatment is your responsibility. B. You may go to the St. Catherine University Health and Wellness Center. Please contact them at (651) 690-6714 to make an appointment. Some of the costs may be covered at the Health and Wellness Center if you are enrolled in the St. Catherine University insurance plan. C. You may be evaluated by a public service organization that does HIV/hepatitis testing and follow-up. D. You may choose not to be evaluated. IMPORTANT NOTES: 1. Because of your right to privacy you may decide whether to be tested and whether to disclose test results to other students or staff. If the source student is not tested, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines recommend HIV and hepatitis testing be done on the exposed student immediately post-incident, three, six, and twelve months post-occurrence. 2. Students choosing to be evaluated or not evaluated post-needlestick/exposure incident are assumed to have made an informed decision about their health. 3. Students who choose not to be tested because of lack of health insurance, insufficient financial resources for direct care or other reasons are encouraged to contact the Student Compliance Office at (651) 690-7781 or the Health & Wellness Center at (651) 690-6714 for resource/referral guidance. Page 5 of 9
6. Complete the attached St. Catherine University Classroom/Laboratory Exposure Checklist with your faculty member or lab instructor. Retain a copy of this checklist for your personal records. The original copy of this form should be forwarded to the Administrator of Student Compliance who is available to answer questions and clarify each student s responsibility. 7. You are encouraged to share your copy of this checklist with your chosen health care provider and follow the advice given by the health care provider. 8. In the event that the source student: A. Is not known; B. Does not agree to be tested or to share results of testing, or to share results of HIV or hepatitis status/risk; or, C. Is hepatitis B or C positive, or HIV positive: The exposed student should be encourage to initiate medical consultation within ONE hour and request initiation of medical treatment as outlined in the CDC guidelines through his/her chosen health care provider. 9. You should check with your health care provider to determine your readiness for returning to the student laboratory setting. NOTE: St. Catherine University reserves the right to deny student laboratory privileges to any student whose health status poses a risk to other students or staff. 10. Please refer any questions regarding the above steps to the Student Compliance Office at (651) 690-7781. Page 6 of 9
ST. CATHERINE UNIVERSITY CLASSROOM/LABORATORY EXPOSURE CHECKLIST Please Complete This Form Thoroughly! Each student should retain a copy of this completed form for his/her personal records and is strongly encouraged to share this information with his/her health care provider. Clinical Instructor/Faculty member: Please assist the students completing this form and deliver this ORIGINAL COMPLETED form to the St. Catherine University Student Compliance Office. INCIDENT INFORMATION: EXPOSED STUDENT: PROGRAM: COURSE IN WHICH EXPOSURE OCCURRED: ATTENDING FACULTY MEMBER: EXPOSURE DATE: / / TIME A.M./P.M. TYPE OF EXPOSURE (skin puncture, mouth, eye or skin exposure) DESCRIPTION OF THE INCIDENT: CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE Page 7 of 9
CLINICAL INSTRUCTOR/FACULTY: Please initials each step in the protocol as it is completed: EXPOSED STUDENT Appropriate first aid was administered to exposed student per St. Catherine University Blood-borne Pathogens Exposure Protocol. Student Procedures/Blood-borne Pathogens Exposure Protocol reviewed with exposed student. Exposed student has been informed if any known HIV or hepatitis risk exists requiring immediate medical consultation, to do so within one hour of the exposure incident. Exposed student has been encouraged to initiate hepatitis panel and HIV testing within 24 hours. Exposed student has been encouraged to arrange a date and time with source student to obtain source test results. Exposed student has been encouraged to share details of the incident and results of all testing with his/her health care provider. Exposed student has been informed that he/she may refer any questions related to this incident to the Student Compliance Office (651) 690-7781 or the Health & Wellness Center at (651) 690-6714. SOURCE STUDENT If necessary, appropriate first aid administered to source student. Student Procedures/Blood-borne Pathogens Exposure Protocol reviewed with source student. Source student has been encouraged to report hepatitis and HIV status/risk to faculty member within one hour of exposure incident. Source student has been encouraged to initiate hepatitis panel and HIV testing within 24 hours. Source student has been encouraged to arrange a date and time with exposed student to share source test results. Source student has been encouraged to share results of his/her testing with exposed student within 48 hours or as soon as possible. Page 8 of 9
Source student has been informed that he/she may refer any questions related to this incident to the Student Compliance Office (651) 690-7781 or the Health & Wellness Center at (651) 690-6714. CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE I have reviewed each of the above steps with the attending faculty member: Exposed Student Signature Source Student Signature Date Date I have reviewed each of the above steps with the source (circle one) and/or exposed students involved: Clinical Instructor/Faculty Signature Date ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: FIRST AID ADMINISTERED TO EXPOSED STUDENT: FIRST AID ADMINISTERED TO SOURCE STUDENT (if needed): Page 9 of 9