7 AAC 12.571. Employee health program

(a) Except as provided in (b) - (e) of this section, a home health agency shall have an employee health program that requires each employee to be tested for pulmonary tuberculosis within the first two weeks of initial employment and annually thereafter. The home health agency shall require contractors performing patient care or services for the agency to have similar standards in place.

(b) An employee who has never had a positive tuberculin skin test result must have a tuberculin Mantoux skin test. A further annual tuberculin testing is not necessary if the

(1) test is negative;

(2) employee is never required to be in a room where a patient or resident might enter; and

(3) employee does not handle clinical specimens from a patient or other material from a patient's room.

(c) An employee who has a positive tuberculin skin test result, or previously had a positive tuberculin skin test result, must have a health evaluation to determine if tuberculosis disease is present. If the presence of tuberculin disease is confirmed, the employee shall be removed from direct contact with patients until the employee has received written verification from a physician that the employee is determined to be noncontagious.

(d) If the employee has previously received appropriate antituberculosis chemotherapy and has no symptoms suggesting that tuberculosis is present, the employee need not have further annual tuberculosis evaluation.

(e) A home health agency that provides care to pregnant women shall document that each employee who provides direct patient care has been immunized against rubella by having on file

(1) a valid immunization certificate signed by a physician or registered nurse listing the date of rubella vaccination;

(2) a copy of a record from a clinic or health center showing the date of rubella vaccination; or

(3) the result of a serologic test showing the employee is immune.

History: Eff. 9/6/96, Register 139

Authority: AS 18.05.040

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