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Introduction: Pediatric health care settings are high risk environments for spreading communicable and vaccine preventable diseases from health care workers to susceptible patients. Methods: All managers of pediatric clinics operating in the state of Utah were included. Participants were invited to complete a two-page questionnaire regarding their clinic vaccination policies. Results: Half (n = 23, 50%) of Utah pediatric outpatient clinics recommend employee vaccinations, although employee refusal is allowed without consequence. Of all adult vaccines, influenza was most often included as part of the employee vaccination policy. Some clinics required unvaccinated employees to wear masks in the event of illness, but many had no additional requirements for unvaccinated and ill employees. Discussion: Vaccination of health care workers is an effective approach to reduce disease transmission. Mandatory vaccination policies can significantly improve vaccination rates among health care workers.

Healthcare and ancillary workers in hospital settings are at an increased risk of Tuberculosis (TB) due to the nature of their job and exposure to persons with TB. Knowledge of healthcare workers (HCWs), (physicians, residents, nurses, midlevels etc.) who provide direct care and ancillary staff (technicians, aides, administrators, etc.) who provide indirect care in medical institutions play an important role in the diagnosis, treatment, control, and prevention of TB. Research has shown a variation in knowledge based on TB prevalence, facility type, available resources, provider training and clinical experience, education level of staff, etc. The purpose of this study is to assess the knowledge of TB among HCWs and ancillary staff in an underserved medical institution who provide care to low-income populations in the United States. This is a cross sectional observational study. A validated questionnaire that assesses TB knowledge will be used. Participants from a historically black college in Tennessee will be recruited in the study. Participants will include HCWs such as attending physicians and residents from all residency programs as well as nurses, midlevels, etc. within the institution. We will also recruit ancillary staff in the same departments. The survey will be distributed between Jan. 2018-Feb. 2018, and will contain 10 questions. Information on demographics, work history (age, sex, education, job category, duration of employment, training level) and TB knowledge (general information on TB) will be captured. The survey will be distributed via email through RedCap, a secure web application for creating and managing online surveys. Emails of participants will be obtained through the institution’s employee and student directory. A minimum of 200 participants will be surveyed, to obtain a power of 80% and CI of 95%. Survey will be entered into the REDCap electronic research database and entered data from participants will be checked for completeness and accuracy. Knowledge will be assessed as: poor (75%-85% correct); and outstanding (>85% correct). We will compare differences in TB knowledge of HCWs and ancillary staff and between practicing physicians and physicians in training. Data analysis will be performed using R software. The expected results are that healthcare workers have higher knowledge level than ancillary workers and that practicing physicians have higher knowledge level than physicians in training due to years of clinical experience and education. As TB continues to be one of the leading causes of death worldwide, it is important that HCWs exhibit a good level of knowledge. The findings from this study will generate data to guide TB education efforts for providers and healthcare facility ancillary staff. Results will help to clarify misconceptions about TB transmission and enhance the quality of care for patients with TB and reduce the risk of nosocomial transmission of TB.

This study was an analysis of the hiring procedures and job requirements for beginning clerical workers in selected firms in Belton and Temple, Texas. The study specifically attempted to determine the minimum employment standards for clerical workers and to determine the procedures used in screening applicants for employment.