Safety

• Be aware of two exits per floor. For building floor plans, look for directional signage by elevators.
• Do not use the elevators during an evacuation.

• Whenever the alarm is sounded, leave immediately. Fire doors will shut automatically.*
• Exit by the nearest route.
• When leaving an area, the last person out should close the door as he or she exits.
• Once outside, meet at a designated rally point (see below) and report those missing.

*Fire doors are to be left in the open position, except in case of an actual alarm sounding, a scheduled alarm test, or a lockdown. Authorities will automatically close them as determined in these cases.

Rally points should be away from the Pharmacy and Health Sciences Building (not on the sidewalks), such as on the lawn in front of Robertson Hall or in Cornerstone Plaza. Refer to the campus map for these and other locations.

• Avoid hallways with doors at each end.
• Avoid locations with exterior window glass.
• Interior spaces in a building are the best locations.
• Refer to Shelter-in-Place signage.

• Refer to the Areas of Rescue signage.
• Individuals with mobility impairment that prevent their evacuation should move to marked areas on each floor and await rescue.

• Exit areas, classroom doorways, hallways, or pathways to exits should be unobstructed at all times. Hallway seating or event tables are allowed, but only on one side of a hallway. Loose items that present a trip hazard (e.g., chairs or tables, especially in elevator or lobby spaces) are not allowed in these areas.
• No more than 20 percent of the area of a door or window in a classroom or office may be covered. Use of fire-retardant materials is encouraged. (Do not use paper or other flammable materials.)

Standard/universal precautions

Standard/universal precautions are an approach to infection control in which all human blood and certain human body fluids are to be treated as if known to be infectious for human blood-borne pathogens. The proper application of standard/universal precautions will minimize any transmission of blood borne pathogens from a health care worker to patient, patient to health care worker, or patient to patient.

The CHP at Butler University requires all students to abide by the CDC Standard/Universal Precautions in all patient contacts. The following measures for preventing blood-borne pathogen transmission in health care settings are recommended by the CDC.

Bloodborne pathogens are micro-organisms in human blood that can cause disease in humans. PA students will be participating in care giving activities and may be exposed to infectious diseases and/or communicable diseases. To reduce your risk of exposure, the following guidelines affect you as you engage in the practice of medicine.

1. All PA students are expected to follow Universal Precautions to prevent contact with blood and body fluids which are potentially infective. Because PA students may have direct contact with blood and other body fluids, the CHP requires training in Universal Precautions and bloodborne pathogens. This training will be given prior to caring for patients in the clinical setting or simulated patient environments.
2. All PA students will be expected to wash their hands with soap and water after exposure to blood and after removal of contaminated gloves or other personal protective equipment.

Students should be aware of the CDC guidelines related to universal precautions.

Needle stick and body fluids procedures

Students may be involved in activities that expose them to risks associated with blood borne pathogens and hazardous substances. Examples of such activities include participation in health fairs or clinics, class or laboratory activities, or clinical experiences in ambulatory, inpatient, and surgical settings. This Policy is based on Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines and outlines recommended procedures for students in the event of a needlestick injury or biohazard exposure. Students who experience a needlestick injury or biohazard exposure during Butler-approved on or off-campus activities should follow the procedures outlined below.

It is important to note that students will be responsible for any costs associated with recommended testing and/or treatment following a needlestick injury or biohazard exposure.

If a student experiences a needlestick injury or biohazard exposure during a class or laboratory activity, during an experiential rotation, or during participation in a Butler-sponsored health fair or clinic, the following steps should be taken:

Step 1: Provide immediate care to the site of injury/exposure.

• Immediately wash injury or exposed area with soap and water for 15 minutes using wash station locations in your area.
• Apply direct pressure to any laceration(s) to control bleeding.
• Flush any exposed mucous membranes with water.
• Mouth: Rinse several times with water.
• Eyes: Remove any contact lenses.
• If eye wash station is available, flush eyes for 15 minutes.
• If eye wash station is not available, have a peer flush eyes with 500 mL lactated ringers or normal saline.
• If unable to do the above, then flush under the sink with water (preferably tepid) for15 minutes or as tolerated.
• Keep eyes open and rotate eyeballs in all directions to remove contamination from around the eyes. Help may be needed to hold the eyelids open.

Step 2: Seek medical evaluation.

• Students will need to always have their health insurance information accessible. Students who experience a needlestick injury or biohazard exposure during a class or laboratory activity, during an experiential rotation, or during a Butler-sponsored health fair event or clinic will be responsible for any costs associated with any testing and care provided by the site at which testing, and care are sought.
• Following a needlestick injury or biohazard exposure, it is critical that the appropriate steps are taken in a timely manner. Students SHOULD seek care within 30 minutes of sustaining injury or exposure at either the clinical site where the incident occurred (if during an off-campus experiential rotation), or at a nearby Emergency Department or Urgent Care Provider (see below under “Local Urgent Care Provider”) in the area.
• Students who experience accidental exposure during an experiential rotation should immediately notify the preceptor of the injury/exposure and determine what procedures exist at that site to deal with needlestick/biohazard situations. Based on the services provided at the site, the student should have the appropriate steps taken based on the site’s protocol for needlesticks/biohazard exposure. If the clinical site has no protocol in place, or if urgent care at the site is not accessible, the student should then seek care at the nearest Emergency Department or Urgent Care Provider.
• Students who experience needlestick injury/exposure during participation in a Butler sponsored health fair or clinic or during a class or laboratory should immediately notify the faculty member overseeing the health fair, clinic, class or laboratory. Together, the student and faculty member can work to determine where the nearest Emergency Department or Urgent Care site is located so that the appropriate laboratory tests can be collected in a timely manner, and any necessary care can be sought.
• Local Urgent Care Provider: Concentra is an urgent care provider offering care at several locations in and around the Indianapolis area. The Concentra website, www.concentra.com, can be accessed for up-to-date location information and operating hours.

Note: If the injured student is an employee of Butler University AND the injury or exposure occurred while on the job, the student-employee should seek care at Concentra, which is an in-network urgent care provider selected by Butler University to treat all non-critical on-the-job injuries. Upon arrival to a Concentra location, Butler student-employees should inform Concentra staff that they are a Butler University student-employee and that they were injured while on the job.

However, if the injured student is a Butler student-employee but the injury was NOT sustained while working for Butler, the injured student should present their OWN health insurance to Concentra or to the specific site where testing and care are being sought.

Recommended laboratory tests following needlestick or mucous membrane exposures to potential blood-borne pathogens include:

Student Testing:

• Hepatitis B SAG (Hepatitis B Surface Antigen)
• Hepatitis C Antibody
• HIV Antibody (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) when consent is given
• Hepatitis B SAB (Hepatitis B Surface Antibody)

Source Patient Testing:

• Hepatitis B SAG (Hepatitis B Surface Antigen)
• Hepatitis C Antibody
• HIV antibody (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) when consent is given
• Hepatitis B Core Antibody when the exposed patient is HBSAB negative
• Other tests for confirmation of diagnosis when clinically indicated

Step 3: REPORT, notify, and seek follow-up care if needed.

• It should be noted that Butler University Health Services does NOT provide initial treatment for needlestick injuries or biohazard exposures. However, Butler University Health Services may, in some cases, be available to guide follow-up care if applicable and if desired by the affected student.
  • In all cases of needlestick injury or biohazard exposure during Butler-approved on- or off-campus activities that were NOT sustained while working on the job as a student-employee, a CHP Exposure Incident Report Form (See Appendix A) should be completed by the student and submitted to the appropriate faculty director as outlined below:
  • In the case of an injury or exposure during an experiential rotation (whether off-campus or on-campus), the PA Director of Experiential Education shall be notified of the incident by the student within 24 hours of the incident.
  • In the case of an injury or exposure during a Butler-approved class, laboratory, health fair or clinic, the PA Program Director shall be notified of the incident by the student within 24 hours of the incident.
  • CHP Experiential and Academic Program Directors will maintain a record of any received CHP Exposure Incident Report Forms on file and will also forward an electronic copy of each form received to Stephanie Lovett (slovett@butler.edu) in the Office of General Counsel, Dugan Hall, Ste. 130, Butler University to be kept on file.
    • In all cases of needlestick injury or biohazard exposure sustained by a Butler University student-employee while working on the job, a Faculty/Staff/Student-Employee Accident/Incident Report Form should be completed by the student-employee AND by the student-employee’s supervisor within 24 hours and then immediately sent to Human Resources in JH-037.

Exposure Incident Report Form

Should a student need to be reached in an emergency, the student should direct the person needing to contact him or her to contact the PA Program office at 317-940-6026 (didactic) or 317-940-9327 (experiential). In cases of emergency, the PA Program Office staff will make every effort to locate the PA student and to transmit requested emergency information.