Introduction
During the performance of practicum practice, students may have contact with patients/clients with infectious diseases. This contact may place the student at risk for exposure to an infectious agent and/or may result in an infectious disease being transmitted to others. This policy has been established to address The Ohio State University, College of Nursing’s concern for protecting students and clients from the risk of infectious diseases. The policy is in accordance with recommendations of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) and recognizes individual rights, voluntary testing, and the confidentiality of test results of all involved. The document is organized in relation to: (1) Prevention, (2) Responsibilities of the student in the care of infected patients, and (3) Post-exposure safety measures.
Prevention
Students can be reasonably protected from the risk of contracting and transmitting an infectious disease in the course of HWIH practice with appropriate education, skills training, and immunizations.
Adherence to Standard Precautions
Students are expected to understand and strictly adhere to Standard Precaution guidelines and infection control practices as established by the CDC and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to reduce the risk of contact, droplet and airborne transmission of pathogenic microorganisms.
Vaccinations and Testing
• Mandatory Vaccination/Testing
Undergraduate students must meet The Ohio State University College of Nursing health requirements prior to contact with a practicum site.
[NOTE: Students who are pregnant or think they are pregnant should document the pregnancy in a written letter and submit the document to Wilce Student Health Center. Some health requirements may be waived for pregnant students or for individual students whose situations may warrant such action. In general, pregnant women should be advised to avoid live vaccines and to avoid becoming pregnant within 28 days of having received one (no harm to the fetus has been reported from the accidental administration of these vaccines during pregnancy) http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/parents/pregnant.html
• Discretionary Vaccination/Testing
MENINGOCCOCAL MENINGITIS: Vaccination with the currently available quadrivalent meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine will decrease the risk for meningococcal disease.
Vaccination does not eliminate risk because a) the vaccine confers no protection against serogroup B disease and b) although the vaccine is highly effective against serogroups C, Y, W-135, and A, efficacy is <100%. The risk for meningococcal disease among college students is low; therefore, vaccination of all college students, all freshmen, or only freshmen who live in dormitories or residence halls is not recommended, but is available to students who desire to reduce their risk.
HIV TESTING: HWIH students who are at risk for HIV and who have a desire to be tested can avail themselves of testing and pre and post testing counseling through the Columbus Health Department or The Ohio State University Student Health Services.
SMALLPOX: Routine smallpox vaccination is currently only recommended for persons who are designated by the appropriate federal, state, and local bioterrorism and public health authorities to conduct investigation and follow-up of initial smallpox cases that might necessitate direct patient contact (CDC, 2003). Additionally, vaccination is recommended to persons responsible for administering smallpox vaccine in a pre-event smallpox vaccination program.