Health Requirements
Back to Policies and Procedures
Intent:
Residents will comply with all health requirements for employment by the University of Florida.
Policy Statement:
The University of Florida has established health requirements for employment. The health care facilities through which residents rotate may also have specific requirements. Residents will be in compliance with all requirements.
Description:
The pre-placement requirements for residents, fellows, faculty, and staff who have direct patient contact and/or blood-borne pathogen exposure are based on CDC and OSHA recommendations for health care workers. Provision of the required immunizations is considered by OSHA, and by general health care facilities not covered by OSHA, to be there responsibility of the employer and must be made available to employees after job offer and before beginning exposed employee duties.
Blood-borne Pathogen Exposure requires:
- Hepatitis B immunization and/or positive Hep B antibody titre
- Blood-borne Pathogen training upon initial hiring and annually thereafter (a departmental training responsibility, documented with EH&S.
- A tetanus-diptheria booster is recommended within 10 years of starting employment, but not required.
Patient Contact requires:
- TB skin test within 12 months of starting employment (after 1 July of the year prior to commencing employment for residents and fellows). The TB test follows the CDC recommendation of a two-step test for those who are initially negative (to document the false negatives and avoid the potential of labeling a past positive latent TB as a current converter). For all those who have a prior positive TB skin test, regardless of BCG vaccination history, a current chest x-ray baseline is required within 12 months of starting employment. Annually, those who initially test TB negative, should receive a TB skin test. All annual results should be reported to EH&S. Positive (converters) should be referred to occupational medicine at Student Health for evaluation and treatment consideration. (Annual testing is currently a departmental responsibility). Annually, those who have a known past positive should complete a TB symptom questionnaire. Symptomatic persons should be referred to occupational medicine at Student Health for evaluation and treatment consideration. Positive and Negative symptom questionnaire results should be reported to EH&S. (This annual screening is also currently a departmental responsibility).
- Immunization for Rubeola, Mumps, Rubella or proof of immunity. Either two MMR vaccinations (the first given after 12 months of age) or two Rubeola, one mumps, and one Rubella vaccinations OR titres for each of these diseases.
- Immunization for Varicella or proof of immunity or a provider-certified history of disease (personal historical recall is insufficient). Varicella vaccination requires two shots IF the first is given after age 13.
Most residents, fellows, and faculty will have both patient contact and blood-borne pathogen exposure. Staff may have both or either, depending upon position description.
Last Review: Institutional Committee for Graduate Medical Education June 12, 2003
