Athletic Training Students (ATS) must realize that ill healthcare workers present a risk to the patients they treat and with whom they come into contact. To limit this risk, preprofessional and ATS must follow the requirements listed below and annually read and sign the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Athletic Training Program (UNL ATP) Communicable and Infectious Disease Policy (Appendix H) located on Typhon for professional students, and physical copy for preprofessional students.
Communicable diseases spread from one person to another or from an animal to a person. Exposure to pathogens causing disease and illness occurs in daily life but may increase for health care providers. Common transmission methods include direct contact with a sick person, breathing airborne viruses and bacteria, contact with blood or other body fluids, or contact with contaminated surfaces or objects.
ATS have the potential to be exposed to such diseases during their clinical education rotations or throughout their normal daily routines which may cause them to become ill throughout the semester. All clinical education sites will have appropriate facilities for handwashing or hand sanitizer available to all students affiliated with the UNL ATP.
Examples of Common Communicable Diseases:
- Conjunctivitis
- Diphtheria
- Fungal Infections
- Hepatitis
- Herpes Simplex
- Herpes Zoster
- HIV
- Meningococcal Infections
- Mononucleosis
- Mumps
- Pertussis
- Rubella
- Streptococcal Infection
- Tuberculosis
- Varicella
- Viral Infections (Influenza, cold, etc.)
The following steps should be followed if an athletic training student or preprofessional student becomes ill or infected:
- The athletic training student or preprofessional student who becomes ill with a potentially infectious disease should seek medical help from the medical director, student health service, personal physician, or through other local medical providers.
- If it is determined that the athletic training student or preprofessional student has any potentially infectious disease, they are asked to relay that information to his or her assigned preceptor and the medical director before reporting to their next clinical education activity.
- The Medical Director will determine if the athletic training student or the preprofessional student requires examination before returning to his or her scheduled clinical education activity.
- If the Medical Director determines either through interview or examination the ATS or the preprofessional student should not report for his or her scheduled clinical education activity, they will inform the UNL ATP Program Director, Clinical Education Coordinator, and/or assigned preceptor of his decision.
- Preceptors may require that an ATS and/or preprofessional student who appears ill will be examined by an appropriate health care provider prior to reporting to clinical education activities.
- If it is determined the ATS or preprofessional student has been exposed and potentially infected by a bloodborne pathogen, the ATS will be required to follow the UNL ATP Bloodborne Pathogen Policy.