Utah Tech University Master of Athletic Training Program faculty, staff, and students
have the obligation to maintain standards of health care and professionalism that are
consistent with the public’s expectations of the health professions.
1. All personnel are ethically obligated to provide patient care with compassion and
demonstrate respect for human dignity.
2. No personnel may ethically refuse to treat a patient solely because the patient is at risk of
contracting, or has, an infectious disease such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
infection, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), or Hepatitis B or C infection. These
patients may not be subjected to discrimination.
3. Personnel are ethically obligated to respect the rights of privacy and confidentiality of
patients with infectious diseases.
4. Utah Tech University Master of Athletic Training Program will protect the privacy and
confidentiality of any personnel who tests positive for an infectious disease. Master of
Athletic Training Program personnel who pose a risk of transmitting an infectious agent must
consult with the appropriate health care representative to determine whether continuing to
provide professional services represents a material risk to the patient. If a faculty member
learns that continuing to provide professional health services represents a material risk to
patients that person should so inform the Master of Athletic Training Program Director. The
Program Director will take steps consistent with the advice of health care professionals and
with current federal, state, and/or local guidelines to ensure that such individuals not engage
in any professional activity that would create a risk of transmission.
5. The Master of Athletic Training Program has established and will enforce written clinical,
and laboratory protocols to ensure adequate asepsis, infection and hazard control, and
hazardous waste disposal. The protocols are consistent with current federal, state, and/or local
guidelines, and will be provided to all faculty, students, and support staff in the Master of
Athletic Training Program. The protocol is complete including the availability and use of
gloves, masks, and protective eye wear by faculty, students, and patients in both the clinical
settings. The protocols will be reviewed annually by the Master of Athletic Training Program
Director to insure accuracy and compliance.
6. The Master of Athletic Training Program Director will require personnel to abide by
current immunization standards set by clinical agencies. In accordance with the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines, all students in Master of Athletic Training
Program will:
(1) Demonstrate proof of immunity to Hepatitis B, or
(2) Be immunized against the Hepatitis B virus as part of their preparation for clinical
training.
POLICY AND PROCEDURES RELATED TO INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE
BLOODBORNE INFECTIOUS DISEASE(S) CHRONIC COMMUNICABLE
DISEASE POLICY
Utah Tech University places a high priority on the need to prevent the spread of chronic
communicable diseases on its campus. The University is committed to educating its staff,
students, and the community about communicable diseases. Specifically, because there is
currently no cure or vaccine for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), education
regarding methods by which this virus may be transmitted and how to prevent transmission,
is essential. By adopting this policy, it is the intention of Utah Tech University to promote
the health and regular school attendance of our students so that they may attain their
maximum potential for learning. In general, students, faculty and staff with a chronic
communicable disease are expected to continue to study or work in an unrestricted setting.
This policy is based on current epidemiological data and may be modified as required by new
scientific and medical information. When a Utah Tech University class is offered in
conjunction or in agreement with an outside agency, students and employees must abide by
policies and procedures of the outside agency relating to chronic communicable diseases.
Master of Athletic Training Students with Chronic Communicable Diseases
A Master of Athletic Training Program student who has a chronic communicable disease or
who is a carrier may attend the University whenever, through reasonable accommodation, the
risk of transmission of the disease and/or the risk of further injury to the student is
sufficiently remote in such setting so as to be outweighed by the detrimental effects resulting
from the student’s exclusion from participation. Master of Athletic Training Program
placement decisions will be made by using this standard in conjunction with current,
available public health department guidelines concerning the particular disease in question.
The determination of whether a student with a chronic communicable disease may participate
in the Master of Athletic Training Program shall be made on an individual basis, according to
procedures implemented by the Master of Athletic Training Program Director in consultation
with the Vice President for Student Affairs, Vice President for Academic Affairs, a
consulting physician, the student’s primary physician, public health personnel, the
university’s legal counsel, and the student. A student who has a chronic communicable
disease or who is a carrier of a chronic communicable disease may be denied admission to, or
may be dismissed from, the Master of Athletic Training Program whenever such chronic
communicable disease has a direct effect on the student’s ability to perform so as to render
the student not qualified for the program.
The Master of Athletic Training Program shall respect the right to privacy of any student
who has a chronic communicable disease or is a carrier. The student’s medical condition shall
be disclosed only to the extent necessary to minimize the health risks to the student and
others. Persons deemed to have “a direct need to know” will be provided with the appropriate
information; however, these persons shall not further disclose the information. A
multidisciplinary team responsible for making a decision on the student’s Master of Athletic
Training Program enrollment status will be also responsible for determining who has “a
direct need to know.”
MASTER OF ATHLETIC TRAINING PROGRAM
EMPLOYEES WITH CHRONIC COMMUNICABLE DISEASES
Section 1: Personnel Decisions
1. Temporary Exclusion
Upon being informed that a Master of Athletic Training Program employee is suspected of
having a communicable disease, personnel will inform the Master of Athletic Training
Program Director who will consult with a multidisciplinary team consisting of Vice President
for Academic Affairs, Human Resources Manager, a consulting physician, the employee’s
primary physician, public health personnel, the university’s legal counsel, and the employee.
Pending determination of a personnel decision, a Master of Athletic Training Program
employee who has a chronic communicable disease or is a carrier of a chronic communicable
disease, or a Master of Athletic Training Program employee who is reasonably suspected of
having a chronic communicable disease or being a carrier, may be temporarily excluded from
working in the Master of Athletic Training Program.
2. Initial Evaluation
Each Master of Athletic Training Program employee’s case will be evaluated by the Master of
Athletic Training Program Director. The Master of Athletic Training Program employee’s
failure to cooperate with the evaluation procedure will not prevent the multidisciplinary team
from performing its job and providing recommendations regarding the case.
3. Placement Decision
Upon completion of a case study evaluation, one or more meetings will be convened for
the purpose of determining the Master of Athletic Training Program employee’s personnel
decision. Recommendations concerning the Master of Athletic Training Program employee’s
personnel decision will be made at these multidisciplinary meetings by consensus of the
participating personnel and will be determined in accordance with the standards set forth in
the university policy and based upon the following factors:
a. The risk of transmission of the disease to others;
b. The health risk to the particular employee;
c. Reasonable accommodations which can be made without undue hardship to reduce the
health risk to the employee and others. The team’s personnel decision will be
communicated in writing to the Master of Athletic Training Program employee and the
appropriate Master of Athletic Training Program Administration.
4. Appeal
A decision on a Master of Athletic Training Program employee’s personnel decision may be
appealed in accordance with the University’s grievance procedures.
5. Subsequent Evaluations
The Master of Athletic Training Program employee will be reevaluated on a regular basis by
the multidisciplinary team to determine whether the employee’s personnel decision continues
to be appropriate. The frequency for the reevaluations will be determined by the team, but in
no event will the employee be reevaluated less frequently than twice per academic year. In
the event of a change in the employee’s medical condition or a change in the University
environment, the multidisciplinary team will determine if a change in the personnel decision
is appropriate. If an emergency occurs, the Master of Athletic Training Program Director will
have the right to take appropriate action. Any such action will be reviewed by the
multidisciplinary team as soon as possible.
Master of Athletic Training Program employees with identified chronic communicable
diseases or who are carriers will be permitted to retain their positions whenever, through
reasonable accommodation of the employee’s physical condition and without undue hardship
to the employer, there is no reasonable risk of transmission of the disease to others. Such
employees will remain subject to the University’s employment policies, personal disability
leave, physical examinations, temporary and permanent disability, and termination.
Employment decisions will be made by utilizing the general legal standard in conjunction
with current, available public health department guidelines concerning the particular disease
in question. The determination of whether an employee with a chronic communicable disease
will retain his or her position will be made on an individual basis, according to procedures
implemented by the University in consultation with the Master of Athletic Training Program
Director, Vice President for Academic Affairs, a consulting physician, the employee’s
primary physician, the Human Resources Manager, public health personnel, the university’s
legal counsel, and the employee.
The Master of Athletic Training Program Director will respect the right to privacy of any
employee who has a chronic communicable disease or is a carrier. The employee’s medical
condition will be disclosed only to the extent necessary to minimize the health risks to the
employee and others. Persons deemed to have “a direct need to know” will be provided with
the appropriate information; however, these persons will not further disclose the information.
A multidisciplinary team responsible for making Master of Athletic Training Program
personnel decisions will also be responsible for determining who has “a direct need to know.”
STUDENTS WITH CHRONIC COMMUNICABLE DISEASES
Section 1: Enrollment Status Change Procedures
A. Temporary Exclusion
Upon being informed that a Master of Athletic Training Program student is suspected of
having a communicable disease, a staff member shall inform the Master of Athletic Training
Program Director or designee who will consult with a Master of Athletic Training Program
multidisciplinary team consisting of the Vice President for Student Affairs, the Vice
President for Academic Affairs a consulting physician, the student’s primary physician,
public health personnel, the university’s legal counsel, and the student. Pending change of the
student’s Master of Athletic Training Program enrollment status, a Master of Athletic
Training Program student who has a chronic communicable disease or is a carrier of a
chronic communicable disease, or a Master of Athletic Training Program student who is
reasonably suspected of having a chronic communicable disease or being a carrier, may be
temporarily excluded from the Master of Athletic Training Program.
B. Initial Evaluation
Master of Athletic Training Program student’s proposed enrollment status change case shall
be evaluated by the above mentioned multidisciplinary team convened by the Master of
Athletic Training Program. The Master of Athletic Training Program student’s failure to
cooperate with the evaluation procedure shall not prevent the multidisciplinary team from
performing its job and providing recommendations regarding the case.
C. Placement Decision
Upon completion of a case evaluation, one or more meetings shall be convened for
the purpose of determining the Master of Athletic Training Program enrollment status.
Recommendations concerning the student’s enrollment status shall be made at these
multidisciplinary meetings by consensus of the participating personnel and shall be
determined in accordance with the standards set forth in university policy and based upon the
following factors:
1. The risk of transmission of the disease to others
2. The health risk to the particular student
3. Reasonable accommodations which can be made without undue hardship to reduce the
health risk to the student and others.
The team’s placement decision shall be communicated in writing to the student and the
Master of Athletic Training Program Director.
D. Appeal
A decision on a Master of Athletic Training Program student’s placement may be appealed in
accordance with the UTDH ADA grievance procedure.
E. Subsequent Evaluations
The student shall be reevaluated on a regular basis by the multidisciplinary team to determine
whether the student’s enrollment status continues to be appropriate. The frequency for the
reevaluations shall be determined by the team, but in no event shall the student be reevaluated
less frequently than twice per academic year. In the event of a change in the student’s medical
condition or a change in the university environment, the multidisciplinary team shall
determine if a change in the enrollment status is appropriate. If an emergency occurs, the
Master of Athletic Training Program Director shall have the right to take appropriate action.
Any such action will be reviewed by the multidisciplinary team as soon as possible.
CHRONIC COMMUNICABLE DISEASE PROCEDURE
Utah Tech University Master of Athletic Training Program will be responsible for
complying with current standards of medical practice and public health guidelines from
recognized authorities (e.g., Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, World Health
Organization, etc.) for keeping abreast of pending legislation relevant to these diseases
and for keeping others informed, especially those in charge of laboratories.
