Communicable Disease Policy
You may not participate in classroom or field experiences during the time you are affected by or suspect you have a communicable disease. A communicable disease is a health disorder that can be passed from one person to another. If suspected of communicable disease, you must immediately visit your personal physician for evaluation. If the evaluation shows possible communicable disease, you must remain out of contact with patients for the duration suggested by the physician and report this to the course faculty and program director. You may not return to participation in clinicals until you have been re-evaluated by a physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant and released with written verification from the medical provider. You must contact the clinical faculty and Clinical Practice Manager upon suspicion and verification of the disease.
The following are examples of communicable diseases:
- AIDS
- Cholera
- Tetanus
- Shingles (Herpes Zoster)
- Conjunctivitis
- Impetigo
- Diphtheria
- Yellow Fever
- Chickenpox
- Diarrhea-infectious
- Hepatitis A, B or C
- Strep pharyngitis
- Measles
- Influenza
- Herpes Simplex
- Meningitis (bacterial)
- Mumps
- Pertussis (whooping cough)
- Rubella
- Shigellosis
- Streptococcal pneumonia
- Scabies
- Hand, foot, mouth syndrome
- Viral and acute hepatitis
- Herpes
- Lice (pediculosis)
- Lyme disease
- Escherichia coli (E coli)
- Tuberculosis
- Group A Strep
- Pinworms
- Ringworm
- COVID-19
Head Lice Procedure
- Transmission to another host occurs when two heads are in direct contact for one minute or more. They can climb rapidly in dry hair and are not removed by washing.
- Standard Infection Control Precautions (Universal Precautions Policy) should be implemented for the management of lice.
- Staff should wear appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), like long sleeved gowns and gloves, during application of treatment and when prolonged contact occurs.
- Remove linen and clothing carefully and treat as infected linen.
- Minimum of daily linen changes may be necessary to reduce the number of lice where there is heavy infestation.
- Personal clothing can be sent home in a sealed plastic bag for washing which should be washed at temperatures suitable for the fabric but ideally above 65 degrees and preferably dried in a tumble drier and ironed.
- Student needs to go home for treatment and cannot return for 24 hours. Student should obtain the recommended product from the pharmacy, and then apply according to product instructions. Two treatments are recommended seven days apart to prevent lice emerging from eggs that survive the first application. All family members, close contacts and affected staff (head to head contact for 1 minute or more) to be treated at the same time on the same day.