Section 641.11.22. Definitions.

For the purpose of rules 641—11.21(139A) to 641—11.26(139A), the following definitions shall apply:

“AIDS” means acquired immune deficiency syndrome as defined by CDC.

“Blood-borne viral hepatitis” means hepatitis B or hepatitis C.

“Care provider” means an individual who is trained and authorized by federal or state law to provide health care services or services of any kind in the course of the individual’s official duties, for compensation or in a voluntary capacity, who is a health care provider, emergency medical care provider as defined in Iowa Code section 147A.1, firefighter, or peace officer. “Care provider” also means an individual who renders emergency care or assistance in an emergency or due to an accident as described in Iowa Code section 613.17.

“CDC” means the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

“Certification of a significant exposure report” means the determination by an authorized infection preventionist, occupational health professional, or other personnel trained in infection control or infectious disease medicine and designated by a facility to review significant exposure reports that the incident described by the exposed care provider meets the definition of a significant exposure as defined in this rule.

“Contagious or infectious disease” means blood-borne viral hepatitis, meningococcal disease, AIDS or HIV, tuberculosis, and any other disease determined to be life-threatening to a person exposed to the disease as established by the department based upon a determination by the state epidemiologist and in accordance with guidelines from CDC.

“Department of corrections” means the Iowa department of corrections.

“Designated representative” means a person who is designated by a department, agency, division, or service organization to act on behalf of the exposed care provider as a liaison with the facility that received the source patient when the exposure occurred in the field or during patient transport.

“Exposure” means a specific eye, mouth, other mucous membrane, nonintact skin, or parenteral contact with blood or other potentially infectious bodily fluids.

“HBV” means hepatitis B virus.

“Health care facility” means a health care facility as defined in Iowa Code section 135C.1, an ambulatory surgical center, or a clinic.

“Health care provider” means a person licensed to practice medicine and surgery, osteopathic medicine and surgery, chiropractic, podiatry, nursing, dentistry, optometry, or as a physician assistant, dental hygienist, or acupuncturist.

“HIV” means the human immunodeficiency virus identified as the causative agent of AIDS.

“Home health services” means health care services provided by a care provider in a patient’s home or other residence.

“Infectious bodily fluids” means bodily fluids capable of transmitting HIV as listed in “Guidelines for Prevention of Transmission of Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Hepatitis B Virus to Health-Care and Public-Safety Workers,” found in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, dated June 23, 1989, Volume 38, Number S-6, published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, Georgia 30333, or subsequent CDC statements on this topic. To prevent HIV and blood-borne viral hepatitis disease transmission, this reference indicates that standard precautions should be followed for exposure to the following infectious bodily fluids: blood, amniotic fluid, pericardial fluid, peritoneal fluid, pleural fluid, synovial fluid, cerebrospinal fluid, semen, vaginal secretions, and saliva contaminated with blood. HIV and blood-borne viral hepatitis disease transmission has not occurred from feces, nasal secretions, sputum, sweat, tears, urine, vomitus, and saliva when it is not contaminated with blood.

“Respite care services” means health care services provided by a care provider in a patient’s home or other residence on a short-term, temporary basis as relief to those who are caring for family members.

“Significant exposure” means a situation in which there is a risk of contracting disease through exposure to a patient’s infectious bodily fluids in a manner capable of transmitting an infectious agent as determined by CDC. Exposure includes contact with blood or other infectious bodily fluids to which standard precautions apply through percutaneous inoculation or contact with an open wound, nonintact skin, or mucous membranes during the performance of normal job duties. Significant exposures include:

            1.      Transmission of blood, bloody fluids, or other infectious bodily fluids of the source patient onto a mucous membrane (mouth, nose, or eyes) of the care provider.

            2.      Transmission of blood, bloody fluids, or other infectious bodily fluids of the source patient onto an open wound or lesion with significant breakdown in the skin barrier, including a needle puncture with a needle contaminated with blood, bloody fluids, or other infectious bodily fluids.

“Significant exposure report” means the Report of Exposure to HIV or Other Infectious Disease form provided by the department. This is the only form authorized to be used to document a significant exposure to infectious bodily fluids such that the source patient is deemed to consent to a test to determine if the patient has a contagious or infectious disease, and is deemed to consent to notification of the care provider of the results of the test, pursuant to Iowa Code section 139A.19.

[ARC 1215C, IAB 12/11/13, effective 1/15/14]