S.C. Code Regs. § § 61-97.1700.1704

Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 10, October 25, 2024

Section 61-97.1700.1704 - Staff Hepatitis Screening

A. All Direct Care Staff shall have been vaccinated or have evidence of immunity for hepatitis B prior to Patient contact, unless contraindicated or offered and declined. The Facility shall maintain records of all Direct Care Staff hepatitis B vaccinations in each individual staff file. The HBsAG status of all Direct Care Staff shall be known to identify those individuals who are (1) HBsAg-positive and therefore potential sources of infection to others; (2) anti-HBs-positive and therefore, immune; and (3) HBV-seronegative and therefore susceptible to hepatitis B virus.

B. The Facility shall offer hepatitis B vaccinations to unvaccinated or partially vaccinated new direct care staff members (who do not already exhibit immunity) prior to patient contact . The decision to receive or decline a vaccination shall be documented in the individual staff file.

1. Each Direct Care Staff member who elects vaccination shall start the initial dose of the hepatitis B series within ten (10) days of Patient contact and complete the series within six (6) months. The Facility shall conduct and document routine post-vaccination testing according to the Centers for Disease Control guidelines for response to the vaccination.

2. The Facility shall consider the individuals declining vaccinations as hepatitis B virus susceptible, and follow the Centers for Disease Control guidelines in the event of a reported blood or bodily fluid exposure.

C. For staff members whose status has been determined to be HBsAg-positive, the Facility shall refer to current Centers for Disease Control guidelines and Facility policies and procedures.

S.C. Code Regs. § 61-97.1700.1704

Added by State Register Volume 44, Issue No. 06, eff. 6/26/2020.