RSCC Policies & Guidelines
Roane State Community College
Policy Number: SA-03-01
Subject: Communicable Disease
- Introduction
It is the policy of RSCC to afford confidentiality regarding personal health issues. Information regarding the health of specific individuals will be released only by written permission of the person involved through counseling.
A communicable disease is one that can be transmitted either directly or indirectly from one human being to another or from lower animals to humans.
- Immunizations
As a member of the American College Health Association, RSCC recommends the following immunization policy for entering students:
Vaccine |
Age Indicated |
Major Indications* |
Major Precautions* |
Measles, Mumps Rubella (MMR) |
1st dose at age 12-15 months or later, 2nd dose at age 4-6 years or later |
All entering college students after 1957 |
Pregnancy; history of anaphylactic reaction to eggs or neomycin; immunosuppression. Appropriate for HIV antibody positive persons. |
Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis Diphtheria, Tetanus toxoid, and acellular (whole-cell) pertussis: DtaP |
Primary series in childhood with DtaP, or DTP, booster at age 11-12 years with Td, then every 10 years |
All college students |
History of a neurologic hypersensitivity with reaction following a previous dose. |
Polio Vaccine – Inactivated (IPV)
-Oral poliovirus (OPV)
|
Primary series in childhood with IPV alone, OPV alone or IPV/OPV sequentially; booster only if needed for travel after age 18 years |
IPV for certain international travelers |
OPV should not be given to Immuno-compromised or HIV antibody positive persons |
Varicella |
Childhood, adolescence, young adulthood |
All entering college students without history of the disease or without age appropriate immunization or with a negative antibody titer (two doses at least one month apart, if over age 13 years |
Pregnancy |
Hepatitis B Vaccine |
Series of 3 does (given at 0, 1-2 mo., and 6-12 mo.) prior to college entry |
All college students |
None |
Meningococcal quadrivalent polysaccharide vaccine: Recommendation for vaccination |
Over 2 years, repeat every 3-5 years |
Certain high risk groups including persons with terminal complement deficiencies or those with asplenia. Research or laboratory personnel who may be exposed to aerosolized meningococci |
None |
- Communicable diseases
Individuals with communicable disease that is transmitted via casual contact (e.g. influenza, infectious mononucleosis, chicken pox, etc.) should be considered contagious to the general college population. Presence on campus should be avoided until there is no longer a danger of contagion. In addition to these communicable diseases the following policy regarding A.I.D.S. has been formulated by the communicable disease committee members as of May, 1988:
Roane State Community College A.I.D.S. Policy
- Students and employees who have AIDS or a positive HIV antibody test, whether they are symptomatic or not, will be allowed to attend classes and work in an unrestricted manner at RSCC, as long as they are physically able.
- Consideration of the existence of AIDS, or a positive HIV antibody test will not be part of the initial decision by RSCC for those applying to attend or work at RSCC.
- Students and employees will not be required to respond to questions about the existence of AIDS, or a positive HIV antibody test. New students and employees will be encouraged to inform Counseling if they have AIDS, or a positive HIV antibody test in order that RSCC Counseling can provide proper counseling and referral. This, like all other medical information, will be handled in a strictly confidential manner.
- RSCC officials will not undertake programs of screening newly admitted or current students for antibody to HIV; neither will mandatory screening of employees be implemented. Especially, no attempt to identify those in high-risk groups and/or screening only of them will be done.
- RSCC officials will be familiar with sources of testing for antibody to HIV and will refer students or employees requesting such testing. Health care providers understand the capabilities and limitations of the test, and will counsel those desiring to be tested and refer them to counseling sources elsewhere. Testing will only be done where it is confidential or anonymous, where positive results can be confirmed by specific testing and where both pre- and post-test counseling are available, currently at Knox County Health Department.
- No specific or detailed information concerning complaints or diagnosis will be provided to faculty, administrators, or even parents, without the expressed written permission of the affected individual in each case (with respect to the Family Education and Privacy Act of 1974). At minimum, the inclusion of any such information in the medical records will be discussed with the patient prior to its entry. The provision of the confidentiality of information may be superseded by the necessity to protect others only in very specific threatening circumstances. The number of people in RSCC who are aware of the existence and/or identity of students or employees who have AIDS, or a positive HIV antibody test will be kept to an absolute minimum to protect both the confidentiality and privacy of the infected persons. These efforts will be made to minimize fear and anxiety among the students and staff.
- RSCC will provide guidelines for departments involved with the handling of blood and body fluids. (See RSCC Safety and Health manual for details.) This will include procedures for decontamination of environmental surfaces and objects soiled by blood or bodily fluids.
- Disposable equipment must be used when puncturing the skin or mucous membrane of all individuals. The individual department within RSCC as defined by the Center for Disease Control, using current industry guidelines, will provide reasonable barrier protection.
- Laboratory courses requiring exposure to blood will use disposable equipment and no lancets or other blood-letting devices will be reused or shared. No student except those in health care professions within RSCC will be required to obtain or process the blood of others. These clinical students will be provided with appropriate barrier protection (i.e., gloves).
- AIDS is a reportable disease in the State of Tennessee and RSCC will strictly observe public health reporting requirements.
Revision History: 07/01/1990, 07/01/1995, 02/01/2001
Revision Date Effective: 02/01/2001
Revision Approval By: William S. Fuqua, III, Interim President
Original Date Effective: 11/10/1988
Original Approval By: Sherry L. Hoppe, President
Office Responsible: Vice President for Business & Finance
Reviewed: 08/24/2016
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