1. Standard/ Universal Precautions are to be followed when handling blood or body fluids.
2. All students and staff need to be aware of both exits to the student lab.
3. If the College looses power, stay at your seat until the emergency lights come on and you receive instructions from your instructor for safe exiting from the lab.
4. Student bench tops are to be cleaned daily using a bleach solution.
5. Fluid resistant lab coats are to be worn at all times and gloves, safety glasses and face shields when appropriate.  Lab coats are only worn in the lab and must be returned to the hooks near the door before e leaving. 
6. All potentially contaminated trash is to be disposed of in biohazard labeled containers.
7. All sharps are to be disposed of in appropriated labeled sharps containers.
8. Report all spills to the instructor for proper instructions for clean-up.
9. Long hair must be tied back.
10. All students must be aware of the location of fire extinguishers, fire blanket, eye wash stations, and safety shower.
11. Mouth pipetting is strictly forbidden-a pipetting device must be used at all times.
12. When using a centrifuge, gloves must be worn and the lid must not be opened until the centrifuge comes to a complete stop.
13. Before leaving for the day, check that biohazard trash from the benches is placed in the large Biohazard trash receptacle and the benches wiped with 10% bleach solutions.

Standard Precautions

Universal precautions were introduced to minimize transmission of blood borne pathogens to health care workers in 1987.  They involve a single standard that should be applied to all patients at all times.  In 1996, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) updated infection control protocols to include standard precautions-a combination of Universal Precautions for prevention of transmission of blood borne pathogens and body substance isolation precautions.  Standard precautions expanded the principles of Universal precautions to all body fluids to minimize the risk of cross-infection among both patients and health care workers.

Necessity for Standard and Universal Precautions 
These precautions are necessary because some patients do not disclose their infectious status, and many are unaware that they are infected (there may be no signs or symptoms as a result of incubation periods or subclinical disease).  In addition, antibodies or other markers or infection may be undetectable during the “Window period” immediately after infection. This is particularly relevant in HIV infections because the levels of circulating virus (viral load) and the maximum infectivity for HIV are highest during the “window period” and with disease progression in AIDS patients.

The following are the highlights or Standard Precautions for Phlebotomists and laboratory scientists: 

1. Use barrier protection routinely to prevent skin and mucous membrane exposures with blood or body fluids.  Wear gloves at all times for blood collection or whenever there is the possibility or an exposure.
2. Change gloves and wash hands after contact with each patient or when they become visibly contaminated with blood.
3. Wear a mask, safety glasses or face shield during procedures where splashing is a possibility. Wear a fluid resistant gown if there is a potential of splashing. 
4. Wash hands or other skin surfaces thoroughly and immediately f contaminated with blood or other body fluids. 
5. Needles should not be bent, recapped, cut, broken or otherwise manipulated after use.  Engage the safety device and dispose in an approved sharps container with the needle holder. 
6. Do not mouth pipette, use a mechanical devise or bulb at all times, even with water.
7. Fill collection tubes using their internal vacuum only, do not force blood into tubes with a syringe. 
8. Decontaminate all lab equipment and counter tops daily with a solution of 10% bleach or other approve germicide.

Insurance

Malpractice/Liability Insurance

Students are covered by the malpractice/liability insurance carried by the College.   

However, students are encouraged to obtain individual coverage. Any student wishing information and application should contact the Program Director.

Medical Insurance

All MLT/phlebotomy students are required to have personal medical insurance coverage.  Neither the College nor the clinical affiliates are liable for injury to individual students. 

If a student does not have standard personal medical insurance coverage, there is a plan offered through the College.  You may obtain information regarding this insurance through the:

• Student Life Center
• Room S1-19 or the Women’s Center S3-09

ALL students must present photocopied documentation of personal medical insurance coverage each semester prior to beginning Clinical Education and upon demand at any other time.

COMMUNITY COLLEGE OF PHILADELPHIA INFECTIOUS AGENT AND BLOODBORNE PATHOGEN EXPOSURE POLICY MLT and PHLEBOTOMY PROGRAMS

Injuries/Exposure to Infectious Agents

Students exposed to an infectious agent or bloodborne pathogen must comply with the Infectious Agent and Bloodborne Pathogen Exposure Policy. An injury or exposure to an infectious agent in the classroom, laboratory, or clinical education setting will be managed according to the implemented procedures.  

The purpose of this policy is to describe the management of incidents of exposure to bloodborne pathogens that involve Community College of Philadelphia students participating in clinical practice. 

Steps in case of needle stick injury or other BBP exposure (mucous membranes with bodily fluids) 

1. Student should clean the affected area.
2. Student should report it immediately to his/her supervisor and the clinical coordinator via Remind Me app text. 
3. The section supervisor should contact the clinical coordinator or program director: via google phone TBA
4. Student needs to fill out an incident report, supervisor needs to sign it. Attached here.
5. This report should be faxed/scanned and sent to the Program director’s office: Fax: 267-299-5835 attn. E. Mashkina or via e-mail emashkina@ccp.edu
6. IMPORTANT: Please ask the source patient to sign a waiver to be tested for infectious diseases if required by your lab policy and to draw necessary blood work before leaving the hospital/lab. Please save these extra tubes for testing later in the separate rack with the note “Don’t dispose”. 
7. Student has two options: a. Report to the ER at the clinical site and use her/his insurance (faster) or b. Report to the Occupation Health VYBE is 1500 Spring Garden Street, Suite R-105, Philadelphia, PA to be treated for free. The prescription drugs will not be covered by the college.  
8. The ER doctor or the physician at VYBE should follow the post exposure policy* and order necessary test on both the student and the source patient. 
9. They need to expedite the testing on the source patient since Post-Exposure Prophylaxis must be started as soon as possible to be effective—and always within 72 hours of a possible exposure.
10. If Post-Exposure Prophylaxis drugs are prescribed by the doctor, student will need to use his/her insurance to cover the cost.  

*- CDC RECOMMENDATIONS https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5011a1.htm