Subject: Student Success

Policy: STUDENT EXPOSURE TO, OR DIAGNOSIS OF, A COMMUNICABLE DISEASE

Revised: December 2020; Spring 2024

Effective date: Spring 2024

Review date: 2027

Responsible Party: Level I:  UAAC & GAAC; Level II:  Associate Dean for Academic Affairs

 

Introduction and Purpose:

The purpose of this policy is to prevent spread of disease to other students, clients, and the community and to have an approved, uniform, planned approach for managing students who have been exposed to or contracted communicable diseases.

 

Policy: 

This policy refers to any communicable condition which potentially threatens student or patient safety. A student who suspects or has real contact with an individual or patient which would result in the student's exposure to a communicable disease, or a student who contracts a communicable disease must report such contacts/diagnosis to her/his clinical course coordinator immediately. Students who incur blood and body fluid exposure, requiring medical attention (such as needle sticks) are responsible for expenses incurred.

 

 Procedures: 

  1. Students are to report suspected or real contact with a communicable disease or a communicable disease diagnosis to their clinical faculty immediately following exposure or This contact may be a result of a clinical learning experience or occur in one's personal life (e.g., personal close contact with chicken pox).
  2. If the student was exposed or was possibly communicable during clinical laboratory experience in a specific institution/agency, the institution/ agency’s policies regarding communicable disease should be
    1. The clinical faculty will notify the Campus Director who will work with the student to complete the "Report of Exposure to Communicable Disease" form as soon as possible.
    2. An electronic modified short report form may be used for significant outbreaks at the discretion of the Campus Director.
  3. In the absence of institution/agency policy regarding communicable disease exposure, Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Guidelines should be consulted regarding management of cases and contacts for the specific disease for which the student has contracted or to which the student has been This will assist in determining if the student needs to be referred to a primary care provider or the contact/diagnosis reported to the local health department. (See https://dphhs.mt.gov/publichealth/cdepi/reporting/index [ARM 37.114.203] or the local health department to verify reporting requirements).
  4. If it is discovered that a student failed to report a suspected or real contact with a communicable disease or a communicable disease diagnosis to clinical faculty immediately, the student may be withdrawn from the clinical setting or referred for a professional behavior contract.

 

Internal control considerations, if applicable: N/A