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.
- All personnel are ethically obligated to provide patient care with compassion and demonstrate respect for human dignity.
- 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.
- Personnel are ethically obligated to respect the rights of privacy and confidentiality of patients with infectious diseases.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
The program will:
- Demonstrate proof of immunity to Hepatitis B, or
- 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:
- The risk of transmission of the disease to others;
- The health risk to the particular employee;
- 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:
- The risk of transmission of the disease to others
- The health risk to the particular student
- 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.
