SUNY Downstate
Student Exposure to Extraordinary Infectious or Environmental Hazards Policy
Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to address student exposure to infectious and environmental
hazards and to promote student health and safety during periods when extraordinary
outbreaks of infectious disease or environmental hazards may affect the educational
program for an individual student, group of students, or all students at SUNY Downstate.
This policy specifically includes epidemics, pandemics or extraordinary environmental
hazards that potentially threaten the health and safety of students in clinical environments.
It does not include infectious or environmental exposure encountered in normal clinical
activities. The latter policy regarding the effects of infectious diseases is also
included in the policy guide.
Policy
Note: These policies mirror specific policies adopted by the College of Medicine which
are located on this web page.
- The Dean of the individual school of college, working with the appropriate associate
dean, program chair, or clinical coordinators, will determine the extent of student
participation in academic and clinical activities when potential exposure to infectious
or environmental hazards substantially exceeds expected standards. This may involve
individual or small groups of students with potential exposure to a specific high
risk environment or wide spread occurrences such as epidemics or pandemics.
- The decision of the Dean (or his/her designee) will be based on the following principles:
- While such situations may provide a unique learning experience the potential educational
benefits must be weighed against student health and safety concerns, public health
concerns and the objectives of the educational program. The first priority for students
will be their health and safety.
- Students are in an educational role and should not be involved in clinical activities
that go beyond the roles performed in the normal clinical environment. Students may
participate in clinical activities during periods of significant risk according to
the level of clinical competence of the student and the assessment of risk of the
clinical environment.
- Academic education activities should continue wherever possible regardless of the
cancellation of clinical education activities.
- Students are not permitted to volunteer for involvement in clinical activities during
situations subject to this policy without the approval of the Dean of the school or
college they are enrolled in (or their designee).
- As a matter of general course, all students will:
- Have their immunization record reviewed annually and updated as needed through the
Student Health Service
- Be mask-fitted (if appropriate for their academic program) through the Student Health
Service
- Be schooled in the concept of universal precautions and techniques for infection control
before exposure to clinical activities
- It is the responsibility of faculty members, staff and students to notify the Dean
in a timely manner of the existence of any hazardous environment that might affect
students.
- Any decisions made under this policy will be communicated promptly to students, faculty,
and healthcare organizations affected by the decision.
- The procedures for care and treatment of students after occupational exposure, and
any secondary disability, would be addressed through Student Health Services at Downstate
Health Sciences University.
Definitions
Epidemic: epidemic is a classification of a disease that appears as new cases in a given human
population, during a given period, at a rate that substantially exceeds what is "expected,"
based on recent experience
Pandemic: pandemic is an epidemic that spreads through human populations across a large region
(for example a continent), or even worldwide.
Environmental Hazards: “Environmental hazard” is a generic term for any situation or state of events which
poses a threat to the surrounding environment.
Approved by the Council of Deans, December 2015
