Disciplinary action is tied to failure to follow CDC guidelines. MO - awaiting action by the Governor related to legislation that may impact the responses to these questions in the future. Our Board is attempting to draft a position statement to educate nurses regarding CDC guidelines and existing requirements for nurses to practice according to an accepted standards of nursing. This may require formal rules and regs. In the 1992 MS Legislative session, a bill was enacted to authorize licensure boards to write rules regarding HIV and HBV and to keep related records as confidential files.
Employers are accountable for practice in their institutions.
We expect some changes in the proposed Rules will be made, but none that would significantly alter the intent of the plan. OK - provided copy of a draft Oklahoma Policy on HIV Infected Health Care Workers. SD - A task force team in South Dakota has been established composed of the Department of Health, Dental Association, Medical Association, Medical Board, Hospital Association, Nurses Association and the Board of Nursing. The task force is considering a position statement regarding all of the above issues, i.e., mandatory v. voluntary testing continuing education, review panels, disciplinary actions by licensing boards, healthcare worker responsibilities, exposure prone procedures, etc. The Controversy has involved the mandatory versus permissive language of the position statement.