Policy No. 303

UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH
SCHOOL OF NURSING
ACADEMIC POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
FOR THE UNDERGRADUATE & GRADUATE PROGRAMS

INTRODUCTION:

Following the recommendation of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing and the University of Pittsburgh Bloodborne Pathogen Exposure Control Plan (updated January 2025), this policy has been developed regarding responsibilities for adherence to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines for prevention of transmission, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Standard’s 29 CPR 1910,1030, as well as recognition of individual rights, voluntary testing, and confidentiality of test results and health records for both faculty and students and for those for whom they provide care.

POLICY:

EDUCATION
Faculty need to be educated according to current OSHA guidelines. The Administration/Faculty in the School of Nursing are responsible for disseminating information about bloodborne pathogens and their transmission and educating students about the hazards involved in contact with a diverse population in which these diseases may be present. The curriculum must reflect content related to bloodborne pathogens and the practice of “transmission-based precautions”. Faculty and students are required to complete online bloodborne pathogen training through The Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI Program) via Pitt’s CITI access portal.

PREVENTION OF TRANSMISSION
Faculty and students are to follow universal precautions at all times, as well as facility-directed isolation policies.

HBV VACCINATION
Faculty members who might be exposed to blood during clinical supervision of students or during clinical practice will be required to receive HBV vaccination unless they have documented evidence of immunity to the disease or are medically at risk from the vaccine or have signed an informed consent waiver. Faculty members who do not have serologic evidence of their immunity to HBV from vaccination or previous exposure should know their hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) status and if positive their hepatitis Be antigen (HBeAg) status.

All School of Nursing students must present evidence of a completed series of HBV immunization within six months of admission to the program or prior to contact with patients unless they have documented evidence of immunity to the disease, are medically at risk from the vaccine or have signed an informed consent waiver. If students do not have evidence of immunity, placement for clinical practice could be affected.

Faculty/students who refuse to obtain immunization must sign the appropriate waiver stating that they have received information regarding the seriousness of hepatitis B and the recommended virus options but have decided not to obtain the hepatitis B vaccine.

The School of Nursing will not be responsible for student costs of the HBV vaccine. The School of Nursing may cover the costs for students who demonstrate that such an expense would create undue financial hardship.

MANAGEMENT OF FACULTY OR STUDENTS INFECTED WITH POTENTIAL BLOODBORNE PATHOGENS
Decisions regarding faculty/students who are infectious with a bloodborne pathogen will be made on a case-by-case basis considering compliance with transmission-based precautions, health status, CDC recommendations for preventing transmission, and University policy.

EXPOSURE TO BLOODBORNE PATHOGENS
Refer to bloodborne pathogens exposure plan (January 2025)

Faculty/students responsibility: Guidelines for follow-up evaluation and documentation of the exposure should be in accordance to the SON Policy #302 – Health Incidents.

Any questions should be directed to the University of Pittsburgh, Environmental Health and Safety Office, 412-624-9544.

Related Policies: Policy #302 – Health Incidents (University BBP Policy – “Exposure Control Plan”)

Reviewed/Revised: 95-96, 07-08, 10-11, 03-14, 16-17, 19-20, 22-23, 25-26
Approved by Total Faculty: 2/02, 04/08, 04/11, 4/23, 3/26