South Carolina Code of Regulations
Chapter 61 - DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL
Subchapter 61-12 - STANDARDS FOR LICENSING ABORTION CLINICS
Part II - ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT
Section 61-12.II.204 - Personnel. (II)

Universal Citation: SC Code Regs 61-12.II.204

Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 9, September 27, 2024

Each facility shall have a staff that is adequately trained and capable of providing appropriate service and supervision to the patients.

A. The licensee shall obtain written applications for employment from all employees. The licensee shall obtain and verify information on the application as to education, training, experience, appropriate licensure, if applicable, and health and personal background of each employee.

B. Prior to performing job duties, all employees, to include volunteers who have direct patient contact within the clinic, shall have tuberculin skin testing conducted unless a previously positive reaction is documented in millimeters. The intradermal (Mantoux) method, using five tuberculin units of stabilized purified protein derivative (PPD) is to be used. For employees/volunteers who have no documentation of a negative PPD result during the preceding 12 months, then the two-step procedure (one PPD test with negative result followed one to three weeks later by another PPD test) is required to establish a reliable baseline. If employees/volunteers have complete documentation of a negative PPD during the preceding 12 months (may be a single PPD or a two-step PPD), then a single PPD is acceptable to establish the baseline for current employment.

1. Persons with negative tuberculin skin tests who have direct contact with patients shall have an annual tuberculin skin test.

2. There is no need to perform an initial or routine chest X-ray on employees or volunteers with negative tuberculin tests who are asymptomatic.

3. Personnel with a positive reaction to the skin test shall have no patient contact until certified non-contagious by a physician.

4. Employees and volunteers with reactions of 10mm and over to the pre-employment tuberculin test, those new employees/volunteers who have previously-documented positive reactions, those with newly-converted skin tests and those with symptoms suggestive of TB (e.g., cough, weight loss, night sweats, fever, etc.), shall be given a chest X-ray to determine whether TB disease is present. If TB disease is diagnosed, appropriate treatment shall be given and contacts examined.

5. Personnel who are known or suspected to have TB shall be required to be evaluated by a physician and will not be allowed to return to work until they have been certified non-contagious by the physician.

6. Preventive treatment of personnel with new positive reactions is essential, and shall be considered for all infected employees/volunteers who have patient contact, unless specifically contraindicated. Routine annual chest X-rays of persons with positive reactions do not prevent TB and therefore are not a substitute for preventive treatment nor are required.
a. Employees and volunteers who complete treatment, either for disease or infection, may be exempt from further routine chest radiographic screening unless they have symptoms of TB.

b. Positive reactors who are unable or unwilling to take preventive treatment need not receive an annual chest X-ray. These individuals must be informed of their lifelong risk of developing and transmitting TB to individuals in the institution and in the community. They shall be informed of symptoms which suggest the onset of TB, and the procedure to follow should such symptoms develop.

7. Post-exposure skin tests should be provided for tuberculin negative employees/volunteers within 12 weeks after termination of contact for any suspected exposure to a documented case of pulmonary TB.

8. A person shall be designated in writing at each facility to coordinate TB screening of personnel and any other TB control activities.

C. All professional and allied health professional staff members shall be currently certified with American Red Cross or American Heart Association CPR and capable of recognizing symptoms of distress. A professional or allied health professional staff member who is legally qualified to perform advanced cardiac life support must be present while patients are undergoing abortion procedures/ recovery in the facility. (I)

D. No employee or volunteer of the facility, while afflicted with any infected wounds, boils, sores, or an acute respiratory infection, or any other contagious disease or illness, shall work in any capacity in which there is a likelihood of such person transmitting disease to other individuals.

E. Each facility shall have and execute a written orientation program to familiarize each new staff member with the facility and its policies and procedures, to include, as a minimum, fire safety and other safety measures, medical emergencies, and infection control.

F. Inservice training programs shall be planned and provided for all employees and volunteers to insure and maintain their understanding of their duties and responsibilities. Records shall be maintained to reflect program content and individual attendance. The following training shall be provided at least annually:

1. Infection control, to include as a minimum, universal precautions against blood-borne diseases, general sanitation, personal hygiene such as handwashing, use of masks and gloves, and instruction to staff if there is a likelihood of transmitting a disease to patients or other staff members;

2. Fire protection, to include evacuating patients, proper use of fire extinguishers, and procedures for reporting fires:

3. Confidentiality of patient information and records, and protecting patient rights;

4. Licensing regulations.

G. Job Descriptions.

1. Written job descriptions that adequately describe the duties of every position shall be maintained.

2. Each job description shall include: position title, authority, specific responsibilities and minimum qualifications.

3. Job descriptions shall be reviewed at least annually, kept current and given to each employee and volunteer when assigned to the position and when revised.

H. A personnel file shall be maintained for each employee and for each volunteer. The records shall be completely and accurately documented, readily available, and systematically organized to facilitate the compilation and retrieval of information. The file shall contain a current job description that reflects the individual's responsibilities and work assignments, and documentation of the person's orientation, in-service education, appropriate licensure, if applicable, and TB skin testing.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. South Carolina may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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