MALPRACTICE INSURANCE

All MSN students must have professional liability insurance that covers activities undertaken as part of their clinical experience during their educational program.  Coverage must be at least $1,000,000 for each incident and $3,000,000 aggregate.  At the present time, many insurance companies offer this type of service and some home owners insurance policies provide for “riders” for such insurance.  It is the responsibility of the student to determine if their company provides such coverage.  The student must have a letter from the insurance carrier outlining his/her coverage on file at the Graduate Studies office at Clarion University. It is the student’s responsibility to renew malpractice insurance, on a yearly basis, and provide the school with a copy of the current declaration sheet.

HEALTH POLICY

Upon admission to the Clarion, Edinboro and Slippery Rock Universities program students will receive health forms, including a medical history and physical examination, which must be completed before enrolling in classes.  Completed health forms are returned to Clarion University.  See appendixes A and B for Policy on HIV Infections and Precautions to Prevent Transmission of HIV.

CRIMINAL CLEARANCE POLICY

Due to mandated regulations, various health care agencies, organizations, and community agencies require verification of criminal clearance and child abuse clearance of individuals working in these settings.  The MSN program has agreements with several agencies that require clearance through the Act 34 form.  The graduate program, therefore, obliges all MSN students completing practica in said agencies to file a “Request for Criminal Record Check” (Act 34) with the Pennsylvania State Police and/or a child abuse clearance (Act 151) with the Department of Public Welfare as required.  Students will not be permitted in the designated practicum without a certified copy of the Criminal Record Form and /or the Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance Form on file in the MSN program Coordinator’s office.

CPR POLICY

All students are required to maintain certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) throughout the clinical nursing course work.  Students will not be permitted to engage in clinical practice without proof of current CPR certification.

POLICY ON HIV INFECTION

The following policy is based upon the guidelines distributed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Public Health Service, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Admission Progression - Consistent with our mission, the School of Nursing adopts a non-discriminatory stance in relation to admission and progression of students in the nursing programs.  Inquiry into HIV status is not part of students, faculty, or staff application processes.  Students are informed of health hazards inherent in nursing education programs, including those that might pose additional risks to the personal heath of HIV+ persons.  Actual HIV infection, HIV-related or AIDS does not alone constitute a basis for denial or admission or progression in the nursing programs.  Rather, each case will be responded to on the basis of its particular facts.

Education - Each semester, standard precautions will be reviewed with students prior to clinical experience and updated printed information will be distributed.  Students will also be informed of the availability of current information via the CDC hotline (1-800-342-AIDS) or email address (www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/spb/mnpages/vfhmanual/annex1/pdf).  The ad hoc committee on AIDS will advise faculty of changes in the recommended guidelines.

Prevention of HIV Transmission - The School of Nursing follows the guidelines prepared by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (January, 1994; August 3, 2000).  When the clinical agency in which the student is affiliating has a policy that is more restrictive than the standard precautions, the student shall follow the institution's policy.  If the agency policies do not reflect these standards or if no policy exists, the student shall adhere to the standard precautions.  (Appendix B).

Patient Care (Compliance Required) - Nursing students cannot refuse to follow standard precaution guidelines.  Standard precautions will be implemented on ALL patients both in the inpatient and outpatient settings.  Nursing students cannot refuse to care for those with HIV/AIDS disease.

Confidentiality - This policy adheres to the Confidentiality of HIV-Related Information Act (February 27, 1991) which protects individuals from inappropriate disclosure and subsequent misuse of confidential HIV-related information.  The confidentiality of HIV-related information will be protected, as is the case for all health-related information.  Testing records are kept separate from academic or employment files.

Exposure - The standard precautions (Appendix B) are designed to reduce the risk of disease transmission in the health care setting.  Each semester, students will be educated about the use of precautions and their responsibility for adherence to them.  Nursing Faculty will periodically evaluate adherence to precautions, and use findings to direct improvements.  Students, faculty, or staff who believe themselves to be at risk for HIV antibody have an obligation to be tested and receive pre-post counseling.  It is the individual's responsibility to pay for these health services.

Revision - This policy will be reviewed and revised annually in accordance with updated information disseminated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

STANDARD PRECAUTIONS TO PREVENT TRANSMISSION OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES

The following policy is based upon the guidelines by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Public Health Service, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (updated 8/3/2000).

Standard Precautions

Standard Precautions aim to reduce the risk of disease transmission in the health care setting, even when the source of infection is not known.  Standard Precautions are designed for use with all patients who present in the health care setting and apply to:

• Blood and most body fluids whether or not they contain blood

• Broken skin

• Mucous membranes

To reduce the risk of disease transmission in the health care setting, the School of Nursing requires the use of the following Standard Precautions:

• Wash hands immediately with soap and water before and after examining patients and after any contact with blood, body fluids, and contaminated items -- whether or not gloves were worn.  Soap containing an antimicrobial agent are recommended.

• Wear clean, ordinary thin gloves anytime there is contact with blood, body fluids, mucous membrane, and broken skin.  Change gloves between tasks or procedures on the same patient.  Before going to another patient, remove gloves promptly and wash hands immediately, then put on new gloves.

• Wear a mask, protective eyewear, and gown during any patient-care activity when splashes or sprays of body fluid are likely.  Remove the soiled gown as soon as possible and wash hands.

• Handle needles and other sharp instruments safely.  Do not recap needles.  Make sure contaminated equipment is not reused with another patient until it has been cleaned, disinfected, and sterilized properly.  Dispose of non-reusable needles, syringes, and other sharp patient-care instruments in puncture-resistant containers.

• Routinely clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces including beds, bed rails, patient examination tables and bedside tables.

• Clean and disinfect soiled linens and launder them safely.  Avoid direct contact with items soiled with blood and body fluids

• Place a patient whose blood or body fluids are likely to contaminate surfaces or other patients in an isolation room or area.

• Minimize the use of invasive procedures to avoid the potential for injury and accidental exposure. Use oral rather than injectable medications whenever possible.

When a specific diagnosis is made, find out how the disease is transmitted.  Use precautions according to the transmission risk.

If airborne transmission

1. Place the patient in an isolation room that is not air-conditioned or where air is not circulated to the rest of the health facility.  Make sure the room has a door that can be closed.
2. Wear a HEPA or other biosafety mask when working with the patient and in the patient's room.
3. Limit movement of the patient from the room to other areas.  Place a surgical mask on the patient who must be moved.

If droplet transmission

1. Place the patient in an isolation room.
2. Wear a HEPA or other biosafety mask when working with the patient.
3. Limit movement of the patient from the room to other areas.  If patient must be moved, place a surgical mask on the patient.

If contact transmission

1. Place the patient in an isolation room and limit access.
2. Wear gloves during contact with patient and with infectious body fluids or contaminated items. Reinforce hand washing throughout the health care facility. 
3. Wear two layers of protective clothing.
4. Limit movement of the patient from the room to other areas.
5. Avoid sharing equipment between patients.  Designate equipment for each patient, if supplies allow. If sharing equipment is unavoidable, clean and disinfect it before use with the next patient.