EMERGENCY PROCEDURES/SAFETY PLAN

In the case of an emergency, students should call 9-1-1. THe SHS Marion campus is in close proximity to city and county police/sheriff, fire and EMS services. In addition to these services, the School of Health Sciences campus has continuous security coverage via E&H Campus Police and Safety Officers whenever the campus is open. Important phone numbers for Campus Police and Safety are posted in classrooms and study rooms. 

SAFETY & SECURITY ON THE MARION CAMPUS

Specific to the Marion campus, housing the School of Health Sciences graduate clinical programs, security is covered not only by campus security services whenever the campus is open, but also by our local police and sheriff’s officers/deputies for the town of Marion and the Smyth County, respectively. Additionally, the School of Health Sciences facilities on the Marion campus are secured facilities, requiring an active student, faculty, or staff ID badge to be swiped at locked doors leading to student learning spaces and faculty and administrative offices.

SAFETY & SECURITY WHEN ON CLINICAL ROTATIONS

Specific to Supervised Clinical Practice Experiences (SCPEs), newly developed sites are evaluated for safety on a minimum of three occasions: (a) by program faculty prior to establishing clinical rotations, via the SCPES Site Visit Evaluation Report form Facility Safety Checklist;  (b) by students, via the mid- and end-of-rotation Student Evaluation of Clinical Rotation Site form SCPE Rotation Site Safety evaluation; (c) by program faculty when performing site visits with students via the SCPE Site Visit with Student Evaluation Report form  Facility Safety Checklist. For established sites, a minimum of one site visit per year is required to assure appropriateness and safety of the site. Students will not be placed or permitted to continue experiences at sites having any identified safety concerns until those issues have been rectified.

SAFETY AND SECURITY TRAINING

The safety of all students, staff, faculty, and patients is of primary concern. Therefore, during orientation, PA students are presented with information on personal security and fire safety, ALICE training, infection control and standard precautions reducing risk of exposure to blood/body fluids and chemical hazards, HIPAA, and OSHA. Furthermore, PA students are required to complete any clinical site-specific safety or security training requirements in preparation for supervised clinical practice experiences.

Students must be aware that risk exists for exposure to infection and environmental disease during the didactic and clinical phases of the Program. PA students, staff, and faculty must adhere to all established Emory & Henry College safety protocols.

• Didactic-phase students must notify their course director and/or MLFC preceptor as soon as possible of any exposure to bodily fluids, chemical hazards, or potentially serious infectious diseases.
• Clinical-phase students must notify their SCPE preceptor and the Director of Clinical Education as soon as possible of any exposure to bodily fluids, chemical hazards, or potentially serious infectious diseases.
• All faculty, staff and students will utilize Standard Precautions (Methods of Prevention as outlined in the MPAS Program Student Handbooks) during all activities that present a risk of exposure to blood/body fluids or chemical hazards. Failure to do so will be grounds for disciplinary action.
• Students must follow the exposure response plan detailed in the MPAS Program Student Handbooks in the case of any exposure to blood/body fluids, chemical hazards, or potentially serious infectious diseases.
• Compliance with all safety practices is a not just good procedure, it is also a mark of professionalism. Failure to observe and practice Standard Precautions may result in adverse/disciplinary action for unprofessional behavior and referral to the Student Progression Committee.