Policy Manual sample

MDT Home Health Care Agency, Inc. IDENTIFICATION TB HIGH RISK EXPOSURE Job Classification All Direct healthcare personnel (Nurses, aides, therapists, social workers, healthcare students (if applicable)) job classifications are identified by our Agency as potential risk for exposure to exhaled air of an individual with suspected, risk or confirmed TB disease. Administration staff, including the Director of Nursing, Clinical Manager are responsible to identify and provide information, training to all field staff, Infection Control and Occupational Safety for occupational exposure and monitoring efforts. All Field Healthcare Workers (HCWs) should receive baseline TB screening upon hire, using two-step TST or a single BAMT to test for infection with M. tuberculosis. After baseline testing for infection with M. tuberculosis, HCWs should receive TB screening annually (i.e., symptom screen for all HCWs and testing for infection with M. tuberculosis for HCWs with baseline negative test results) or be evaluated by a Staff Physician who need to provide a Medical Certification that attest that the employee is free of communicable disease. HCWs with a baseline positive or newly positive test result for M. tuberculosis infection or documentation of previous treatment for LTBI or TB disease should receive one chest radiograph result to exclude TB disease. Instead of participating in serial testing, HCWs should receive a symptom screen annually. This screen should be accomplished by educating the HCW about symptoms of TB disease and instructing the HCW to report any such symptoms immediately to the Director of Nursing, Clinical Manager. Treatment for LTBI should be considered in accordance with CDC guidelines. Personnel who are the first point of contact for patients at risk for TB will be instructed to recognize and bring to the attention of the appropriate person, any person with these symptoms or history (this may be accomplished by reviewing these symptoms with patients as they enter the waiting areas): • Productive cough for more than two weeks • Coughing up blood • Night sweats/fever • Exposure to a known cause of tuberculosis As part of our Infection Control Plan and TB prevention program, our Agency, under the direction of the Director of Nursing, Clinical Manager, will conduct on annual basis, a TB Risk Analyzes taking in care Agency population serves, cases attended and community disease reports/statistics from the local Department of Health. Results of the risk analyzes will be reported to Board of Directors and other executive staff. Home Health Agency Nursing Care & Procedures K-194