Alabama Administrative Code › Title 420 - ALABAMA STATE BOARD OF HEALTH › Chapter 420-4-3 - INFECTED HEALTH CARE WORKERS › Section 420-4-3-.02 - Definitions

Current through Register Vol. 42, No. 9, June 28, 2024
When used herein, the following words and terms shall have the
				meanings respectively ascribed to them except where the context
				prohibits.
(a) "Affected institution:
			 means any health care facility at which the infected health care worker
			 routinely and commonly practices.
(b) "CDC" means the Centers for Disease
			 Control and Prevention of the United States Public Health Service.
(c) "CDC Recommendations" means the July 21,
			 1991, CDC document (MMWR, Volume 40. No. RR-8) entitled "Recommendations for
			 Preventing Transmission of Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Hepatitis B Virus
			 to Patients During Exposure-Prone Invasive Procedures" or equivalent guidelines
			 developed by the Alabama Department of Public Health and approved by the CDC
			 and any appropriate supplements or revisions thereto.
(d) "Department" means the Alabama Department
			 of Public Health.
(e) "Expert
			 review panel" (ERP) means a panel of experts in composition and function as
			 defined in the CDC recommendations and appointed or approved by the
			 Department.
(f) "Health Care
			 Worker" (HCW) means any individual who provides or assists in the provision of
			 medical, dental or nursing services regardless of whether that individual is
			 formally licensed.
(g) "Hepatitis B
			 Virus Infection" (HBV) means the presence of the hepatitis B virus as
			 determined by the presence of hepatitis B e antigen for six months or longer or
			 by other means as determined by the State Board of Health.
(h) "Hepatitis C Virus Infection" (HCV) means
			 the presence of the HCV as determined by the presence of antibodies to HCV or
			 by other means as determined by the rules of the State Board of
			 Health.
(i) "HIV Infection" (HIV)
			 means the presence of antibodies to the Human Immunodeficiency Virus as
			 determined by enzyme immunoassay and Western Blot, the presence of the Human
			 Immunodeficiency Virus as determined by viral culture, or other means
			 determined by the State Board of Health.
(j) "Infected health care worker" (IHCW)
			 means any HCW as defined in (e) who is infected with HIV or HBV as defined in
			 (f) and (g).
(k) "Internal
			 Department Review" means investigation by Department staff with advice and
			 consultation of individuals and organizations with expertise in a specified
			 discipline to determine if an IHCW performs invasive procedures.
(l) "Invasive Procedures" include digital
			 palpation of a needle tip in a body cavity or the simultaneous presence of the
			 HCW's fingers and needle or other sharp instrument or object in a poorly
			 visualized or highly confined anatomic site.
1. Invasive dental procedures shall include
			 those that provide the opportunity for an intraoral percutaneous injury to the
			 dental HCW and could result in the blood of the HCW coming in contact with the
			 blood or mucous membrane of the patient as adopted by the Board of Dental
			 Examiners in rules developed pursuant to Section 11.
2. These procedures shall not include
			 physical examinations; blood pressure checks; eye examinations; phlebotomy;
			 administering intramuscular, intradermal, or subcutaneous injections; needle
			 biopsies; needle aspirations; lumbar punctures; angiographic procedures;
			 vaginal, oral, or rectal exams; endoscopic or bronchoscopic procedures; or
			 placing and maintaining peripheral and central intravascular lines, nasogastric
			 tubes, endotracheal tubes, rectal tubes, and urinary catheters.