Veterinary Technology Health & Safety Issues & Policies (including Human Rabies Vaccine)

All students must have their medical records in complete order prior to participating in laboratories. All student records must show proof of Tetanus vaccination. All Vet Tech student records must show proof of being 30 days post the 2nd shot for their pre-exposure Rabies vaccination administered per CDC and vaccine manufacturer guidelines. (see Appendix 6 ). See more information on page 22 of this document
regarding human rabies prophylaxis pre-exposure vaccination.

The student medical records are given to the Student Affairs Office, however, please give the human rabies documentation to the Vet Tech Dept. Health forms are then stored in the college Health Center.

All VTSU Randolph students are required to have health insurance coverage while enrolled at the university. Students are strongly advised to make arrangements for their own health insurance coverage. Coverage is available for a fee through the college if a student is not covered under another policy.

Students are responsible for their own medical care and health insurance throughout the Veterinary Technology Program. Neither the university nor the Veterinary Technology Program is responsible for needed medical care. The student is responsible for any costs that may be incurred as it relates to personal injuries the student may acquire while participating in the program, including externships. VTSU and/or externship/field trip sites cannot be held liable for such injuries.

Because of the danger involved in working around radiation, gas anesthetics, and zoonotic (transmissible from animals to humans) diseases during pregnancy, VTSU has adopted a Pregnancy Policy, detailed in Appendix 7. This detailed information should be read and the appropriate forms submitted as required. Students are urged to become familiar with all associated risks to themselves and their unborn child should they become pregnant at any time during the program or employment in this career (see Appendix 7).

To help prevent injury, students must comply with the dress code. If a student is not in compliance with appropriate laboratory attire, instructors may request they meet the requirements before being allowed to participate in the lab. It is the responsibility of everyone to use caution and good judgment to avoid incidents or accidents.

Students who are injured in a laboratory/class situation must report the injury immediately to the supervising instructor/faculty member– this will insure that you will receive the proper care and attention. All incidents including animal bites or scratches, needle pricks, broken glass or any other incident in which any break of human skin, bruising, or contusions occurs must be reported.

Students bitten or otherwise injured by a teaching animal are instructed to call the VTSU Randolph Department of Public Safety 802.728.1292, (extension x71292 from a campus phone). Public Safety requires the student(s) involved to fill out a Student Accident Report which is kept on file with the Public Safety Office. Students are instructed to go to the nearby hospital emergency room if skin is broken or if the student wishes for any other incident-related reason at that time. There are also first aid kits in the Vet Tech Laboratory Morrill 101 and in the Vet Tech barn. A member of the Vet Tech staff and faculty must also be notified immediately.

Because of the natural risks associated with programs such as ours, the university is in no way liable for students being bitten or injured while handling animals within the program.

Please note that any injuries to any animals within the program – shelter animals, lab animals, etc. – must also be reported to the course instructor, program technicians, or the attending veterinarian.

Veterinary Technology students are expected to inform faculty of any health conditions that interfere with clinical laboratory or animal care functions. Students may be asked to refrain from certain clinical laboratory procedures if the instructors feel that the student’s health may be compromised. A physician’s note may be required to verify any condition. Regardless, inability to perform assigned functions can affect your grades. As soon as any medical problems are diagnosed, the student is encouraged to bring a written statement from their physician permitting them to continue in the Veterinary Technology Program and/or perform safely in the clinical setting.

Improper lifting can cause injury to the back. You are encouraged to lift animals by using your legs and not your back and to request assistance when lifting an animal or object that is very heavy or unwieldy. Proper lifting techniques involve bending your legs while keeping your back straight.

When mopping or when a wet area on the floor is noted, the student will place a wet floor sign in the area of the wet floor to inform others to be cautious when walking over that area.

Since some of our class and lab patients arrive without a medical history and may arrive with a variety of problems, diseases, and parasites; students should be aware of zoonotic disease risks (rabies, ringworm, brucellosis, intestinal parasites, toxoplasmosis, etc.). It is essential that students follow all instructions from program faculty, including (but not limited to) appropriate dress, Personal Protective Equipment, and proper hygiene. Program faculty will discuss zoonotic diseases prior to student exposure to patients, and students are then responsible for following instructions and proper precautions to minimize their exposure. See Appendix 11 for a list of Zoonotic diseases.

For safety reasons, students should be aware that practicing venipuncture on each other is prohibited. Students should also be aware that Hepatitis, HIV, and other diseases can be transmitted by contact with infected human blood and should handle and dispose of all venipuncture supplies and sharps in an appropriate manner. Students should be cognizant of the risks of blood-borne diseases when aiding another injured student. All exposures to human blood or other human secretions or discharges must be reported to the Campus Safety office at 802.728.1292. Universal precautions will be taken with all exposures to human blood or other hazards.

Students are required to be 30 days post 2nd vaccination in the series against rabies in order to perform hands-on work with teaching animals. This is now required by our accrediting agency, the CVTEA-AVMA, since academic year 2022-23. In addition, the vaccine must be administered per the vaccine manufacturer’s directions as well as per new CDC guidelines for veterinary workers published in the Spring of 2022 in order to work with and visit animals on campus.

Information from the U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC) website states that veterinary workers may choose from 1 of two possible regimens:

We recommend that you talk with your primary care provider about which option is best for you. Once you start your vaccine series, you should have your health care provider fill out Appendix 6.

The Vermont Dept of Public Health states that Vermonters live in an area classified as “frequent” risk, a rabies enzootic area. Veterinary workers in private clinics must be immunized against rabies in order to work with stray cats and dogs.

Be sure to check with your insurance company to find out if this expense will be covered; some insurance companies will pay for human pre-exposure rabies vaccines. Students should advise their insurance carrier that they are engaged in the veterinary profession in Vermont, which holds an occupational risk for exposure to rabies. If their insurance carrier will not cover the rabies -pre-exposure vaccination series, please contact Dr. Dorosko at Stephanie.Dorosko@VermontState.edu, and she will provide you with a letter for you to send to your insurance company – sometimes with that additional information, insurers will change their mind and cover some or all of the cost. If the insurer still will not cover any of the cost, students are advised to acquire a prescription for the vaccine from their health provider and check with several pharmacies for the cost.

If the student purchases the vaccine from a pharmacy with their health provider prescription, and IF the student’s primary care office refuses to administer the vaccine, the Health Center nurse can store it for you. If the Health Center nurse is unable to schedule vaccine administration per the manufacturer’s protocol, and if the student is under 21 years of age, the Gifford Hospital pediatricians’ office has kindly offered to have our students schedule each shot (bring it with you to the appointment). The number to call at Gifford is 802.728.2420. If the student purchases the prescribed vaccine from a pharmacy, and keeps it at home or in their dorm room, it MUST be stored as directed until brought to the university Health Center or to Gifford.

NOTE: Make sure that your health provider prescribes the number of doses of the vaccine per NEW CDC guidelines for veterinary workers.

Since the ability to suffer cuts or other forms of skin lacerations is common in veterinary medicine, it is required that you have current vaccinations for Tetanus. Please consult your physician concerning the need for Tetanus vaccinations or boosters.

Eye wash facilities are provided at the sinks in M101 and M102 and other laboratories outside the program.

MSDS sheets are located in a binder notebook labeled “SDS” in a cabinet labeled SDS in M101 lab, and also in a binder notebook also labeled “SDS” on an open shelf visible in M102 lab

The Veterinary Technology Program is concerned about the proper handling of medical wastes. Specific instruction in the handling and disposal of medical wastes will be provided in each course. Every student and staff member is responsible for the proper disposal of medical wastes. All sharps must be disposed of utilizing specific sharps containers located throughout the laboratory areas. If you are unsure of what constitutes medical waste or how to handle medical waste, please ask a staff member.

Each lab should be supplied with the personal protective equipment (PPE) recommended for the required duties; please discuss the appropriate PPE for you.

The student will be trained to operate pieces of specialized instruments and equipment during the course of the program. At no time will students be allowed to operate the equipment except during class time, or during instructor-appointed times.

To establish operating and safety procedures for the use of radiation in the Veterinary Technology Program at Vermont State Randolph. These procedures are designed to ensure the safety of students and instructors.

Radiation machines emit an ionizing radiation, which can be detrimental to the health of individuals exposed to excessive doses of such radiation. It is the purpose of the present safety rules to ensure that exposures to students and staff are As Low As Reasonable Achievable (ALARA). The US Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) describes maximum permissible dose equivalents for occupational exposure as the following:

• Whole body equivalent shall not exceed 5 rem per year.
• Shallow dose equivalent to the skin shall not exceed 15 rem per year.
• Dose to embryo/fetus shall not exceed 0.5 rem.

This policy applies to all users of the radiation emitting equipment in the Veterinary Technology program at VTSU Randolph.

It is the responsibility of the staff and students at VTSU Randolph to adhere to these procedures. The Program Director or designee will ensure compliance.

Order: Radiographic procedures will be performed for the purpose of instruction. Only the instructor will order retakes of radiographs.

Personnel Monitoring: In general any student, staff, or faculty participating in VET 2012 must be issued a radiation monitoring badge or other appropriate monitoring device.

• Radiation monitoring badges will be assigned by the student’s full name, date of birth and last 4 digits of their social security number. Under no circumstances will a student be permitted to use a monitoring badge other than their own.
• Each student will wear their monitoring badge attached to his or her clothing outside of any protective lead shields. Each badge will be left in a designated location when the student is not in class. Badges are not to
  leave the Lab facilities, unless performing Large Animal radiography as part of a lab at the farm or other facility.
• The instructor or designee will be responsible for the distribution of the badges and the procedures governing their use. The exposure records will be maintained by the instructor or designee and will be reviewed.
• Female students should ideally notify the Program Director or class instructor as soon as possible following confirmation of pregnancy. This is voluntary and the student must make the final decision as to their acceptance or non-acceptance of this risk. It is recommended that the pregnant student seek advice and counsel from their attending physician as to the decision to continue in the radiology course of the program. If the student decides to complete the course, a second badge will be issued to be worn at waist level under the protective apron. Badge reports will be monitored to ensure that the fetus receives no more than 0.5 rem during the term of the pregnancy. Any exposure prior to declaration of pregnancy must be estimated and taken into account. Under NO circumstances will a pregnant individual be allowed to hold a patient while radiographs are being taken.

Copies of the Vermont Regulations for the control of Radiation, reports of inspections and registrations are kept in Morrill 101. These are available for review by all students or instructors involved with radiation devices

General Operating Procedures:

• All radiographs rooms are controlled areas. The doors to the room must be closed when the radiograph machine is in use.
• It is recommended that animals be lightly sedated or anesthetized for radiographs and positioned with sandbags or other suitable devices an the student remain behind protective barriers during radiograph exposure. If sedation is not possible or warranted the students shall wear all necessary lead lined protective equipment and radiology exposure monitoring badge as they would in a veterinary clinic and shall not have any unprotected part of their body in the primary beam of the of the radiograph machine.
• Collimators shall restrict the radiation field to the size of the film or part of the body under study. Small fields should be used where possible to restrict the area exposed to only that clinically necessary for teaching or study.

Only the necessary individuals shall be allowed in the room when radiographic procedures are being performed. Exceptions must be cleared by the instructor. All individuals in the room during a radiographic procedure must wear a lead apron, thyroid shields, gloves, and a radiology exposure detection badge.