Ask the expert: Who can perform needlestick evaluations?
Q: May the licensed healthcare professional indicated in the postexposure evaluation be nurses or physician assistants (PA) and from our practice?
A: The federal OSHA definition of a licensed healthcare professional is “a person whose legally permitted scope of practice allows him or her to independently perform the activities required by paragraph (f), Hepatitis B Vaccination and Post-exposure Evaluation and Follow-up,” according to Enforcement Procedures for the Occupational Exposure to Bloodborne Pathogens.
If nurses or PAs meet this qualification in your state, they can function as licensed healthcare professionals and they may be used for occupational vaccination and postexposure evaluations.
It is acceptable to use licensed healthcare professionals from your facility, even though using an outside source makes the confidentiality separation cleaner, but it is not necessary, according to the enforcement document. In such cases, an OSHA inspector should ensure that confidentiality has been followed.
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David LaHoda
David LaHoda, the managing editor of Medical Environment Update and OSHA Watch, has produced healthcare training videos and consulted for medical practices and ambulatory healthcare facilities.
David has written 196 posts.
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