/Institutions/Ogeechee-Technical-College/json/current/Paramedicine-Technology-Student-Handbook-local.json

/Institutions/Ogeechee-Technical-College/json/current/Paramedicine-Technology-Student-Handbook.json

Paramedicine Technology Student Handbook > Health and Safety > Communicable Disease Policy

Communicable Disease Policy

All students will receive instructional material on communicable diseases to include AIDS and Hepatitis B Viruses throughout each program.

It is the right of all students to have access to clinical as well as didactic education, in order to fulfill the terminal competencies as required for graduation. However, there may be times when the student is exposed to, or is carrying a communicable disease, which may be hazardous to self, peers, patients, or others.

Upon contracting an illness or communicable disease, the student must notify Ogeechee Technical College faculty before practicing in the clinical or field area or before reporting to the classroom. Students will not be allowed to attend field, clinical, or didactic assignments while experiencing temperatures of 99°F or above. 

Attendance in the classroom and/or field/clinical areas will not be permitted until the student has returned to normal health. Clinical and field sites may refuse the placement of a student based on their health status and completion of immunization requirements.

Depending on the severity of the illness, the student may be required to see a physician and provide written consent from the physician before returning to the classroom or clinical area.

Any student withholding information concerning their health status as it applies to communicable diseases while enrolled in the program, may be dismissed for unethical behavior.

When a student is identified as being infected with any of the following communicable disease, the following steps are taken to ensure the health of the Ogeechee Technical College community and of the patients with whom the student would be in contact. This policy is also designed to protect the student who is infected. The following list is not necessarily all inclusive: Hepatitis B, measles, mumps, rubella, meningitis, tuberculosis, typhoid, chicken pox, and shingles

1. The student must notify the Program Director and Clinical Coordinator in writing of the contracted disease and his/her physician’s name and phone number. The student will not attend classes, field, or clinical rotations until released by a physician.
2. The Program Director or Clinical Coordinator will contact the Dean for Academic Affairs.
3. The Dean will confer with appropriate public health officials and report to the Program Director, if necessary.
4. The Clinical Coordinator will inform the student as to when the student may return to campus, field, or clinical. The program will adhere to public health guidelines directed by the Dean for Academic Affairs.
5. The student will supply the Program Director and Clinical Coordinator with documentation from a physician stating that he/she may return to campus and/or clinical or field site.
6. Every effort will be made to work with the student to keep that student current with his/her classes.