Policy and Procedures on Exposure to Infectious and Environmental Hazards

Previously titled “Procedure for Needle Sticks and Exposure”

Purpose: Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine aims to prevent medical student exposure to infectious and environmental hazards through education and training in the use of appropriate procedures.

This policy also outlines the steps and students should follow if they are exposed to infectious materials.

Definitions: Infectious agents include blood, body fluids, secretions, excretions other than sweat, or other potentially infectious material, regardless of whether those fluids contain visible blood.

Covered Parties: Medical students

Policy: Students must receive education and training on preventing exposure to infectious and environmental hazards. This instruction includes the use of adequate barrier protection (e.g., gloves, gowns, face shields or masks and eye protection, resuscitation bags, pocket masks, other ventilation devices), sharps precautions, hand washing/hygiene, and other applicable health care worker standards put forth by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

Students are required to complete infectious agents training each year they are enrolled in the medical curriculum. Students are also required to maintain active health insurance to cover health needs related to such exposures.

All students are responsible for their personal safety and the safety of their teammates and must use standard precautions with all patients and whenever exposure to blood, body fluids, secretions, excretions other than sweat, or other potentially infectious material, regardless of whether those fluids contain visible blood.

Standard precautions include hand hygiene, eye and face protection, use of gowns and gloves, and safe sharps handling. ALL body fluids are considered potentially infectious materials.

Additional “Transmission Based Precautions” must be used in addition to standard precautions for patients with known or suspected infection or colonization with highly transmissible or epidemiologically important pathogens.

In the event of exposure to infectious agents (needle stick or any unprotected exposure to blood, bloody body fluids, or other potentially infectious material), either in a lab or a clinical setting students should seek medical care immediate and report the incident to their immediate supervisor and the Student Affairs Office.

Procedures: In the event of exposure to infectious agents, students should:

Wash the exposed area and perform basic first aid
Notify your supervisor – resident or faculty – of the occurrence and that you are leaving to seek care immediately.
Get evaluated immediately: it is extremely important to receive counseling regarding the risk of acquiring a communicable disease. If indicated, prophylaxis should be started right away, usually within one hour.
If at a non-BMC site, notify the Student Affairs Office of the exposure

Students at Boston Medical Center

BMC’s Occupational Health Clinic during working hours or the BMC Emergency Department after hours and on weekends

Location: The BMCHS Occupational Health Clinic is located at:
Dowling Building at Boston Medical Center
Suite G132
850 Harrison Ave, Boston, MA 02118

Telephone: 617-638-8400

Fax: 617-638-8406

E-mail: OccHealth@bmc.org

Hours: Monday-Friday, 7:30a.m. – 4:00p.m., Closed Saturday and Sunday

Tell the receptionist you have had an unprotected exposure (needle stick), and you will be fast-tracked into the clinic.
A counselor will discuss post-exposure prophylaxis with you
DO NOT DELAY!

BMC’s Occupational Health will notify the Student Affairs Office (SAO) of exposures occurring at BMC within 48 hours.  These situations can be very stressful and we are here to help. To speak to a dean immediately about the incident, please contact the dean on duty by calling (617) 638-5795 and sending a page to #4196 or sending a text page to pager #4196 through the pager directory.

Students at a non-Boston Medical Center site

Immediately check with your supervising physician about the site-specific exposure protocol

If the site has its own emergency room or occupational health you will be directed to go there
If the site does not have its own emergency room or occupational health, you will go to the nearest emergency room
DO NOT DELAY!

Coverage for provided services is included in the Aetna student health insurance plan offered by the University. In the event that you do not have Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine health insurance (Aetna), you must contact your carrier and determine the level of services covered. Submit any billing received to your insurance company. The SAO will provide reimbursement for out-of-pocket co-pays. We strongly encourage you to keep your health insurance card in your wallet at all times.

For questions regarding this policy please contact the Associate Dean of Student Affairs. The Student Affairs Office can be reached at 617-358-7466.

Related Policies and References

Last revision: August 2026