Dental Assisting: Health and safety
Health and safety
As future professionals in the healthcare and emergency services industry, students are expected to not only thoroughly learn and comply with the safety standards of their program of study, but also serve as role models. In settings in which the focus is on the patient’s health and care, it is critical that all safety protocols are followed. The safety of students, faculty, patients, and program animals is of the utmost importance.
Refer to the safety topics in the section for one’s program of study. Review the college’s Health & Safety Manual and in particular, Chapter 4 for the Bloodborne Pathogen (BBP) Exposure Control Plan. Programs may have specific procedures relevant to their site, program of study, and facilities. The following are other college health and safety resources to be mindful of.
- PCC’s Public Safety department offers a variety of services to ensure the safety of the students
- Public Safety emergency preparedness and response and emergency procedures pages.
- Healthy campus – provides guidelines to help keep PCC’s campuses healthy.
Health profession student clinical training administrative requirements
In order for students to complete the required clinical training, PCC requires all students to meet the Oregon Administrative Rule (OAR) Chapter 409 – Division 30 for students in clinical training prior to clinical placement. Students are to meet any requirements mandated by their clinical site as well. A detailed description of these requirements are listed in Requirements for Clinical & Field Education. They include:
- Successfully pass a criminal background check
- Successfully pass a ten-panel drug screen
- Submit proof of current immunizations
- CPR certification: Students are required to obtain and maintain current certification in BLS (CPR) for Healthcare Providers by the American Heart Association.
- Complete Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and OSHA Bloodborne Pathogen compliance training modules.
Insurance
Portland Community College provides Workers’ Compensation coverage for registered students working at external non-paid training and practice sites such as clinical, externship, and co-operative education sites. Students in co-operative education courses must follow the guidelines on the insurance coverage webpage to be eligible for Workers’ compensation coverage. For more information, see the US Department of Labor Workers’ Compensation website.
Portland Community College does not carry primary health insurance coverage (sometimes referred as illness, injury, and accident coverage) for students. Students are encouraged (but not required) to acquire comprehensive health and accident insurance that will provide continuous coverage during their time at the college. Students are responsible for their own health needs, health care costs, and health insurance coverage. The online Healthcare Marketplace is a good resource for finding health insurance.
Injury reporting
In the event of an injury on PCC property or at an external practice site (i.e. clinical, externship, and co-operative education sites), students should follow these steps:
- Seek medical help.
- Immediately inform the site supervisor (instructor, clinical instructor, nursing supervisor, charge nurse, preceptor) and the PCC course instructor of the incident.
- Work with the faculty department chair or program director to complete necessary forms and obtain follow-up instructions.
- If the injury occurred at an external practice site, follow-up with the site supervisor to complete additional incident reports/paperwork that may be required by the clinical site.
Specific requirements for bloodborne pathogen exposure
Follow these steps:
- Provide immediate care for the wound/exposure site:
- For emergency needlestick or other sharp medical device with human blood or other infectious bodily fluids:
- Wash needlestick site and/or potential exposure site with soap and water
- Flush splashes to the nose, mouth, or skin with water
- Irrigate eyes with clean water, saline or sterile irrigates
- For emergency needlestick or other sharp medical device with human blood or other infectious bodily fluids:
- Immediately inform the site supervisor (instructor, clinical instructor, nursing supervisor, charge nurse, preceptor) and the PCC course instructor of the incident.
- Seek medical help at the nearest emergency department and inform them of the bloodborne exposure and obtain a baseline blood draw.
- Inform faculty department chair or program director what emergency department was used.
- Work with the faculty department chair or program director to complete necessary forms and obtain follow-up instructions.
- If the injury occurred at an external practice site, follow-up with the site supervisor to complete additional incident reports/paperwork that may be required by the clinical site.
For more information, see Chapter 4, Bloodborne Pathogen (BBP) Exposure Control Plan of the college’s Health & Safety Manual.
Timeline for all injury reporting, including bloodborne pathogen exposure
- Seek medical care immediately.
- All injuries, illnesses, property damage, motor vehicle collisions, or other incidents that occur at the college, or in the course of college business if not at the college, should be reported within 24 hours of having knowledge of the incident.
- For Workers’ Compensation claims, the law requires that a form must be filed within 5 days of notice of knowledge of a claim.
Emergencies
In addition to the PCC Emergency Preparedness procedures linked above, since the Vanport Building is part of the Portland State University (PSU) campus, please review the PSU Campus Public Safety Emergency Preparedness procedures as well.
The building alarm will sound in the event the building needs evacuation. If the alarm sounds, students will immediately evacuate classrooms and dental clinics and proceed to the nearest exit, guided by faculty. The meeting area is at the Urban Plaza across from the building’s main entrance. Once there, the student will check in with faculty and should not leave the area until the “all clear” signal is given. If the student is treating a patient when the alarm sounds, they are responsible for the safe evacuation of their patient. In the event the patient or student requires assistance to evacuate, there is a button they can push next to the elevator for assistance. The student or patient needing assistance should remain in the elevator lobby unless instructed otherwise until assistance arrives.
Medical release
For any condition (e.g. an illness, injury, prescription medications, or surgery) that could impact the student’s ability to safely perform patient care while maintaining their own safety and that of the patient, a statement from a physician/licensed primary health care provider is required to return to clinical/class/lab. This statement must include that the student is medically cleared to perform patient care responsibilities as identified in the Dental Assisting program Technical Standards. If the physician documents that restrictions are required, faculty instructors will review the medical release form information provided by the physician/licensed health care provider and determine if the student can continue in clinical experiences. The student must share the Dental Assisting program Technical Standards with the physician/licensed primary health care provider when requesting the medical release. Students must also provide the Dental Sciences program dean and their primary faculty instructor with a copy of the medical release within a time frame specified by the instructor.
Pregnancy
A student who is pregnant must notify both the Dental Sciences program dean, the faculty department chair, and their primary clinical instructor of the pregnancy due to the risks inherent in dental clinical settings. They must understand that they are expected to perform at the same level that is expected of any other student. The student should share the Dental Assisting program Technical Standards with their health care provider and discuss with the provider any associated risks of the clinical environment. The student must notify the Dental Sciences program dean, the faculty department chair, and their primary clinical instructor if the physician/provider places any restrictions on performance of the technical standards and provide a medical release form signed by their physician/provider to Accessible Education and Disability Resources and/or Title IX departments.
The Dental Sciences program dean will review the medical release form or other information provided by the physician/licensed health care provider and collaboratively determine if the student needs to consult with PCC’s Accessible Education and Disability Resources office. The Dental Assisting faculty department chair (FDC) will consult with the course team, with the support of the Dental Sciences program dean and Title IX department, regarding any request for accommodation.