BURRELL SCHOOL DISTRICT

Transcription

1 No BURRELL SCHOOL DISTRICT SECTION: TITLE: ADMINISTRATIVE EMPLOYES ACQUIRED IMMUNE DEFICIENCY SYNDROME ADOPTED: February 18, 1998 REVISED: ACQUIRED IMMUNE DEFICIENCY SYNDROME 1.Purpose Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the cause of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and AIDS Related Complex (ARC), has reached epidemic proportion in the country as well as the state of Pennsylvania. It is the responsibility of the school district to maintain a safe, healthful environment for its students, employes, and volunteers. In order to maintain the safety of those infected and those persons in the school setting, the school district has established this policy for the management of AIDS in its school setting. This policy is prepared consistent with guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and the State Board of Education. 2.Definitions AIDS is an acronym for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. As used in this policy, AIDS includes but is not limited to all infections caused by the Human T- lymphatropic Virus/Type III (HTLVIII), also called Lymphadenopathy-associated Virus (LAV), and includes Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), AIDS- Related Complex (ARC), and asymptomatic infections of these viruses. Assessment Team is the school district evaluation group comprised of the following individuals: Superintendent, school district physician, school district solicitor, Special Services Coordinator, appropriate building principal, and school nurse. The group shall review and evaluate each AIDS case. This group shall make recommendations to the Superintendent regarding the attendance/participation of the infected individual in the school setting. Infected employe shall apply both to persons who have been designated as having AIDS or ARC and to persons who are asymptomatic carriers (those who have been infected by the AIDS virus and are capable of transmitting it but who have not developed any of the symptoms of AIDS). 3.Guidelines This policy is based on current evidence that the AIDS virus is not transmissible by school employes, within the school setting under normal circumstances. Page 1 of 5

2 ACQUIRED IMMUNE DEFICIENCY SYNDROME - Pg. 2 For school employes with the AIDS virus who are capable of continued employment, decisions about their continued employment/participation should be made jointly by the patient, his/her physician, and the school district Assessment Team. SC 1418 (c) If the school district has reasonable cause to believe an employe has AIDS, is infectious, or is physically unable to perform his/her duties, the employe may be required to take a special medical examination. If the infected individual is considered or becomes communicable, the infected individual along with his/her physician will meet and discuss the case with the Assessment Team. A Team decision will be made about the infected individual's continued participation within the school setting. Confidentiality The school district shall respect the right to privacy of the infected individual. School officials will be involved on a need-to-know basis. These persons will be required to preserve the confidentiality of information regarding the patient. Records documenting this situation will be kept confidential, separate from the health record, and under lock and key in the office of the Assistant Superintendent. The number of persons informed of the infected individual's status will be kept to a minimum required to assure proper care and supervision of the infected individual and to maintain the health and welfare of the school population. Information about individuals infected with the AIDS virus in the school setting shall not be disclosed to the general public, other school employes, or other groups associated with the school. Routine Screening Routine screening in the school setting for the AIDS virus is not warranted. A screening test will not be required as a condition of continued school employment. PROCEDURES The following procedures are based on current evidence that the AIDS virus is not transmissible, under normal circumstances, by employes within the school setting. SC 1418 (c) If the school district has reasonable cause to believe an employe has AIDS, is infectious, or is physically unable to perform his/her work, the employe may be required to take a special medical examination. Page 2 of 5

3 ACQUIRED IMMUNE DEFICIENCY SYNDROME - Pg. 3 If an employe is determined to be infected, a meeting will be held. The meeting shall include the Assessment Team, the infected individual, and the physician of the infected individual. If the infected individual is deemed by the Assessment Team to be physically capable of continued participation in his/her current position, the infected individual shall be permitted to continue working with monthly monitoring by his/her physician in consultation with the school district physician. If the Assessment Team determines that the infected individual is deemed to be incapable of continued participation in day-to-day work duties, his/her participation will be discontinued immediately and district procedures for utilization of sick leave and disability benefits will be implemented. Confidentiality must be maintained. No record that an employe is infected shall appear in his/her personnel or health file. Records documenting this situation shall be kept confidential, separate, and under lock and key in the office of the Assistant Superintendent. No verbal or written statements will be made to anyone outside of those involved in the meeting. All district employes will follow the rules of confidentiality even if some public knowledge of the case exists. No one may: (1) make public statements or issue written releases about this infected individual; or (2) discuss this situation with anyone outside those who need to know (including other employes). Procedures For Prevention Of Disease Transmission In The Classroom The following procedures are meant to provide simple and effective precautions against transmission of disease for all persons potentially exposed to the blood or body fluids of any individual. No distinction is made between body fluids from infected individuals with a known disease or those from individuals without symptoms or with an undiagnosed disease. The body fluids of all persons should be considered to contain potentially infectious agents (germs). The term body fluids includes: blood, semen, drainage from scrapes and cuts, feces, urine, vomitus, respirator secretions (e.g., nasal discharge) and saliva. Contact with body fluids presents a risk of infection with a variety of germs. In general, however, the risk of infection transmission is dependent on a variety of factors including the type of fluid with which contact is made and the amount and type of contact made with it. Routine and standard procedures should be used to clean up after an individual has an accident or injury at school. Blood or other body fluids emanating from any individual, including ones known to have AIDS/ARC, should be treated cautiously. Gloves should be worn when cleaning up blood spills. These spills should be Page 3 of 5

4 ACQUIRED IMMUNE DEFICIENCY SYNDROME - Pg. 4 disinfected with either bleach or another disinfectant, and persons coming in contact with them should wash their hands afterwards. Blood soaked items should be placed in leak-proof bags for washing or further disposition. Similar procedures are recommended for dealing with vomitus and fecal or urinary incontinence of an individual. Hand washing after contact with an individual is routinely recommended if physical contact has been made with the individual's blood or body fluids, including saliva. Procedures For Informing Staff And Students About AIDS Employes and volunteers of the school district shall receive periodic information relative to the AIDS policy, procedures, and current medical findings. Staff will share this information with students in Health classes in a manner appropriate to their age and ability to understand. The school district shall provide instruction about AIDS and related issues to its students at each level of education: elementary school, middle school, and high school. This instruction shall be included in the curriculum of all Health courses taught at each level. Programs discussing the transmission of AIDS through sexual activity shall stress that abstinence from sexual activity is the only completely reliable means of preventing its sexual transmission. Each program shall stress that avoidance of illegal drug use is the only completely reliable means of preventing transmission of AIDS through shared drug paraphernalia. The elementary school program shall limit instruction to provide an awareness to the transmission of AIDS through sexual activity. At the middle school level, instruction in AIDS transmission through sexual activity will be limited and appropriate to the age and understanding of the students. In the high school program, instruction in the transmission of AIDS will be comprehensive yet presented in a manner that is both tasteful and appropriate to the age of the student. Classroom instruction will focus on the following concepts: 1. What is AIDS. 2. The History of AIDS. 3. The Signs and Symptoms of AIDS. 4. How AIDS is Detected. 5. How the AIDS Virus is Transmitted. 6. How to Prevent AIDS/No Known Cure. Page 4 of 5

5 ACQUIRED IMMUNE DEFICIENCY SYNDROME - Pg. 5 The school district shall excuse pupils from instruction pertaining to AIDS when this instruction conflicts with the religious beliefs or moral principles of the parent(s), guardian(s), or the pupil. A written excuse for this exclusion is required and must be presented to the appropriate building principal prior to instruction. At the beginning of each new school year, the school district shall publicize that curriculum outlines and all curricular materials used in conjunction with the AIDS instruction shall be available to all parents and guardians during normal school hours at the office of the appropriate building principal. Page 5 of 5