Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Allopathic Medicine (NSU MD) 2023–2024 72 Students are required to follow appropriate infection control procedures, including the use of personal protective equipment, whenever there is a risk of parenteral, cutaneous, or mucous membrane exposure to blood, body fluids, or aerosolized secretions from any patient, irrespective of the perceived risk of a blood-borne or airborne pathogen. Regardless of the real or perceived communicable disease status of the patient, all students and staff members should follow standard universal precautions when providing patient care. The basic precautions include: • Always wash hands before and after patient contact, according to the policy of the clinical site, even if gloves are used. • Always wear gloves when exposure to blood, body fluids, and other body excretions is likely. • Use gloves appropriately according to aseptic and/or sterile techniques, and always change gloves between patients. • Wear gowns/aprons when soiling of clothing with blood or body fluids is likely. • Wear masks, face shields, and eye protection when aerosolization of blood or body fluids may occur. • Dispose of sharps in designated rigid sharp containers. Never recap needles by hand. • Dispose of waste saturated with blood or body fluids in designated red biohazardous waste containers. Risk of Exposure, Encouraged Disability Insurance, and Mandatory Medical Insurance Despite the best efforts of health care practitioners and facilities, as well as educational institutions and faculty members, the risk of student exposure to blood-borne pathogens cannot be eliminated. Although all prudent precautions are taken, students still have a real risk of acquiring infectious diseases that may cause illness, disability, and potentially even death. Moreover, even if not debilitating to the student, some infectious diseases may preclude a student from practicing in certain specialties, due to the patient’s risk of infection from the provider performing exposure-prone activities. Nova Southeastern University (NSU) College of Medicine (NSU MD) strongly encourages its students to obtain and maintain disability insurance throughout their years in the M.D. program. Information on disability insurance options is available online at amainsure.com/insurance-products/disability /student-disability-income-insurance.html, or students may talk to the assistant dean of Admissions and Student Affairs for information. NSU MD requires students to carry health insurance and strongly encourages its students to ensure their health insurance provides sufficient coverage to ensure the student will be able to obtain all necessary diagnostic and treatment goods and services. Student Exposure to Blood/Body Fluids Procedures It is the policy of NSU MD that all students who are exposed (percutaneously, through mucous membranes or skin) to blood/body fluids while engaged in a university-sponsored educational program receive prompt medical attention, including counseling, prophylactic drug treatment, and baseline and follow-up laboratory values, as necessary. In accordance with this policy, the following procedures must be followed by students who have been exposed to blood/body fluids.
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