Volunteer, Visitor & Observer Program

Subject: Volunteer, Visitor & Observer Program
Effective Date: September 1996
Revision Dates: November 2013, May 2016, August 2016

Purpose

Volunteers and observers are a valued resource to the School, assisting with a variety of clinical and non-clinical duties throughout the organization. In an effort to ensure a successful program, the following identifies the application process and requirements, which must be met prior to acceptance into the School of Dentistry’s Volunteer, Visitor & Observer Program.

General Policy

A. The Volunteer, Visitor & Observer Program is designed to accept applicants as guests of the School to participate in the educational, clinical, and research programs, including:

Dentists
Dental assistants
Dental hygienists
Dental receptionists
Pre-dental students
Visiting dental students, Faculty, Dental Professionals and Pre-dental students

B. Volunteer positions are unpaid and must not be recruited to fill [permanent or temporary positions of classified contract employees.

C. Participants must adhere to policies and procedures of the University of Washington and the School of Dentistry.

D. Any person participating in patient care or clinic support activities must proceed in accordance with state law related to the practice of dentistry, dental assisting and dental hygiene (based upon the scope of their duties) under the regulations of the Department of Labor and Industries.

E. Participants are required to complete certain regulatory trainings including HIPAA, Blood borne pathogens, General Health and Safety and Compliance.

F. Participants of the Program must register with the Dean’s Office by completing required documents noted in Appendix A-D

G. All volunteers must receive a job description specifying the scope and limits of their duties from the department’s volunteer supervisor.

H. All participants must meet the requirements listed in Table A., prior to commencing their role.

I. Non-compliance with requirements may result in termination of volunteer

J. The volunteer’s supervisor will inform them of a change in status; however the Associate Dean of Clinical Services or Director of Clinic Operations has the authority to do so.

K. The Associate Dean of Clinical Services may make exceptions regarding patient care activity on a case-by-case basis for visiting graduate-level dental students.

L. Visiting graduate-level dental students must show proof of existing professional liability coverage of at least $1 million per occurrence in order for their observation activities to be approved by the Associate Dean of Clinical Services.

Descriptions and Requirements

A. Clinical Volunteers

Description:
- Licensed dentists and dental hygienists, dental lab technicians, dental receptionists, pre-dental students, dental assistants, and students working on dental assistant or hygiene credentials at schools with which a current affiliation agreement is established must have their credentials verified by the School.
Requirements:
- Sponsoring departments shall recruit, train and mentor their volunteers and provide the necessary supervision at levels required of paid employees performing the same duties. Volunteers can engage directly or indirectly in patient care.
- Immunizations (Table B), Blood borne pathogen, General Health and Safety and HIPAA training

B. Non-Clinical Volunteers (Limited scope)

Description:
- Any volunteer, including UW pre-dental students, whose duties do not include direct patient care, and whose assignment would not reasonably be expected to expose them to body fluids or other potentially infectious materials.
- Non-clinical volunteers, including those individuals interested in volunteering in research areas. Individuals interested in volunteering in research should review the Research-Laboratory volunteer service policy available from the School of Dentistry Oral Health Sciences Department.
Requirements:
- Sponsoring departments (including OCS) shall recruit, train and mentor their limited-scope volunteers and provide the necessary supervision at levels required of paid employees performing the same duties.
- Limited-scope volunteers may work in an office or in clinics with duties limited to non-patient care.
- Examples of job duties include, but are not limited to:
  1. Stamp and label bags; cut and tape bags for clinic use;
  2. Deliver and pick up items from sterilization;
  3. Deliver and pick up charts;
  4. Restock disinfected units;
  5. Assist with supply orders;
  6. Escort patients; or
  7. other such activities in which the volunteer is not directly engaged in patient care.

C. Observers

Description:
- Observers are individuals who are interested in a tour of the School’s clinical, research or laboratory facilities.
Requirements:
- Persons in this category could be inadvertently exposed to body fluids or other potentially infectious materials. There are no training requirements for this category.
- Observers will not be allowed to perform any patient care activity, including dental assisting tasks or limited scope volunteer duties related to clinical support or patient care.
- Observers will be assigned a mentor who is a 3^rd or 4^th year dental student, staff or faculty member.
- The length of stay for an Observer generally will be less than one, but may not exceed five days.

D. Visiting Dental Students

Description:
- A person who is already enrolled in a dental or allied health training program at a school other than the University of Washington. Individuals in this category typically will be considered observers.
Requirements:
- Individuals in this category may be inadvertently exposed to body fluids or other potentially infectious materials.
- There are no training requirements for this category if the length of the visit is less than thirty (30) cumulative days; however, individuals must show proof of student status at their home institution (i.e., a letter of good standing from their school and photo student identification).
- Visitors whose stays are equal to or greater than thirty (30) cumulative days are required to take the UW’s HIPAA training.
- Visiting dental students are not permitted to perform any patient care activity, including dental assisting tasks or limited scope volunteer duties unless accepted as a volunteer in that category.

E. Visiting Scholar

Description:
- A person who is currently employed as a health instructor or health care provider by a university, college, or health institution other than the University of Washington.
Requirements:
- Must adhere to the conditions and arrangements relating to visiting faculty as described in the Academic Personnel web site located at: http://www.washington.edu/admin/acadpers/visiting.scholar.html
- In accordance with the University Handbook, Vol. II, Part 2, Section 24-34, and Vol. IV, Part 5, Section 17-5,
- Licensure requirements of the State of Washington apply if engaged in the practice of dentistry while serving as a visiting scholar.
- Academic personnel approve visiting scholar requests and issue ID cards. Visiting Scholar ID Cards must be obtained on-line at: www.washington.edu/admin/acadpers/forms/scholar.id.form.html
- Visiting scholars must inform the School of Dentistry of their length of stay in advance of their appointment.

F. Confidentiality

Patient Care: Participants will respect the confidentiality of the patient’s clinical record as stipulated by University policy and by state and federal laws.
Student Academic: Written and/or verbal exchanges involving faculty and/or students (e.g., personal interactions, grade sheets, evaluations) must be kept confidential.

G. Application Procedures

All individuals wanting to serve as an observer or volunteer, must register with the School of Dentistry’s Volunteer & Visitor Program Coordinator, located in the Office of the Dean,
Applicants must complete application form(s) shown in Appendix A. These forms must be submitted and approved in advance of participating.
Limited scope and clinical volunteers must obtain immunizations required by the school of Dentistry listed in Tables B & C.
Visiting dental students must register with the Manager of Student Life.
Visiting scholars must register with the department administrator in their area of interest.

H. Proof of License/Certificate:

All dentists, physicians, dental hygienists, and other health care providers must meet licensure/registration requirements of the State of Washington to engage in direct patient care.
All health care workers engaged in direct patient care in which any form of anesthesia or sedation is administered must be currently certified in basic life support procedures and comply with Washington State regulations regarding anesthesia and sedation (WAC 246-817-740).

I. Liability Coverage:

General Liability: The University general liability insurance program covers all volunteers.
Professional Liability: Visiting clinical students and visiting clinical faculty engaged in patient care, and researchers who will be exposed to body fluids or other potentially infectious material, must show proof of a minimum coverage of $1 million because they are not covered by the University self-insurance program.

J. Processing a Volunteer, Visitor and Observer application:

Identify participant’s classification.
Instruct volunteer candidates to submit appropriate paperwork and documentation to the Dean’s office
- Application forms (Appendix A)
- Immunization clearance (Appendix C)
- Data Security /Patient Confidentiality understanding form (Appendix D)
- Criminal background check paperwork* (Appendix E)- Questions regarding findings on the WSP check will be reviewed with Associate Dean of Clinic Services or Director of Clinic Operations to determine if an applicant is accepted or rejected based on findings.

K. Document health insurance coverage or liability coverage, if applicable.

L. Create a Dean’s office notification of approval.

M. Department Responsibilities

Recruitment, selection, and training of department volunteers.
Obtain copies of licenses, certificates (dental license, CPR, specialty, etc.).
Orientation and training of volunteers according to protocol stated in departmental job description.
Provide a job description for the volunteer (Example- Appendix F)
Provide required training to include, but not limited to (e.g. on-the-job training, Blood borne Pathogens, Hazard communication and HIPAA training prior to receiving a volunteer schedule.
Develop auditable system for recording and reporting volunteer hours.
Evaluate and determine volunteers are meeting expectations of the assigned job description.

N. Volunteer Work-related Injuries

All accidents or injuries involving volunteer workers must be documented in OARS by the clinic supervisor within five (5) working days of the event.
All volunteer workers at the University of Washington are eligible for Worker’s compensation and benefits.
Volunteers must work under a job description and the assigned department must maintain a log of hours worked by all volunteers excluding Visiting Scholars.
Administrative Policy Statements section 4b: http://www.washington.edu/admin/rules/policies/APS/14.01.html.
Additional information on coverage for volunteers is available by calling the Office of Risk Management, 206–543–0183 or by sending an email inquiry to: claims@uw.edu.

O. Criminal Background Checks

Volunteers are bound by the same standards as employees with respect to findings on a criminal background checks.
Background checks will be conducted using the Criminal Conviction Disclosure Form (Appendix E).
Acceptance or rejection of an applicant whose WSP check indicates a criminal history will be made by the Associate Dean of Clinical Services or Director of Clinic Operations.

TABLE A: Requirements for Volunteers, Visitors and Observers to the School

	Clinical volunteer	Limited Scope/Non-clinical volunteer	Observer	Visiting Scholar; Clinical	Visiting Scholar; Non – clinical
Approval from sponsoring department	X	X	X	X	X
Immunizations	X	X		X
BBP training	X	X		X
Use PPE while in clinics, labs or sterilization areas	X	X	X	X	X
HIPAA Training	Access your Relias training account to get instructions on completing this and other trainings on the Compliance Training page
Privacy, Confidentiality and Info Security Agreement	X	X		X	X
Letter from Dean				Only when faculty license is needed	X
Letter of good standing (from School or Professor)	(If visiting student or pre-dental student)
Provide proof of licensure or other credentials	(Where volunteer provides care)			X
Provide proof of liability coverage	If allowed to provide patient care (grad student)
* WA State Patrol check	X	X	X
Other	Pre approval from Assoc. Dean for visits longer than 2 weeks			Submit signed Visiting Scholar Program Application	Submit signed Visiting Scholar Program Application (non -clinical form)

TABLE B: Immunization Requirements

Measles: Two vaccine doses of measles containing vaccine or a positive antibody titer. The doses must have been received after 12 months of age and at least one month apart.

Mumps: Two immunizations (regardless of birth year), or a positive antibody titer.

Rubella: One immunization or a positive antibody titer.

Hepatitis B: Evidence of immunity is required. The immunization series consists of three doses of vaccine. The first injection must be administered before volunteers enter the clinic. In addition, an antibody titer is required after completion of the series to prove immunity.

Tdap: If no documentation of Tdap then a single Tdap booster.

Varicella

(Chicken Pox): Serologic evidence of immunity or two immunizations given at least one month apart.

TB: Evidence of two PPD tests within the year prior to employment is required; otherwise a 2-step PPD will be done. History of BCG is not a contraindication to PPD testing. If you have had a documented positive TB skin test in the past, records specifying the test, a chest x-ray report, and details of prescribed medication are needed. Annual PPD skin testing (or symptom review for those not being tested) is required. Patient contact is not allowed unless documentation of this annual TB screening takes place.

Influenza self-pay): Recommended not required Annual flu shots are recommended for health care workers who have contact with patients at high risk for influenza or its complications, those who work in chronic care facilities, and those with high risk medical conditions.

TABLE C: Immunization Financial Responsibility

VOLUNTEER CATEGORY	FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR IMMUNIZATIONS
Visiting Student	Must obtain immunizations prior to visit.
Visiting Scholar	Must obtain immunizations prior to visit.
Public Volunteer	University of Washington- Hall Health Immunization Clinic will provide immunizations for a fee to the volunteer.
Observer
1. UW Student	Immunizations not required.
2. Non-UW	Immunizations not required.