Mask/Respirator Fit Policy
| AC- SSN-POL-004 Mask/Respirator Fit Policy | |
|---|---|
| Approval Date | July 10, 2023 |
| Effective Date | September 5, 2023 |
Organizational Scope
The Policy applies to all full-time and part-time students enrolled in programs* offered through The Michener Institute of Education at UHN (“Michener”) who will be placed at an affiliated clinical site.
*Students in joint programs must refer to their program handbook.
Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to outline students’ responsibilities with respect to N95 mask fitting for clinical placement.
Definitions
N95: Niosh Approved at least 95% filtration efficiency against solid and liquid particulate aerosols that do not contain oil.
Policy
Students must be mask-fit tested prior to attending their clinical placement. Students are also required to follow their clinical site’s respective respiratory protection policies and procedures. Students must provide Health Services and/or the Clinical Education Office and/or the clinical site’s Occupational Health Department with the mask/respirator fit-test data as required.
Each student must be individually mask-fit tested to determine which brands and models of N95 masks provide adequate protection against airborne particles. At the time of testing students must remove facial hair and any clothing covering their face in order to allow for the adequate mask-to-face seal. Fit-test data must be updated every 2 years or depending on the clinical site requirements and/or when facial characteristics change (e.g. due to weight gain/loss or facial trauma/restrictions).
Failure to be fitted with an N95 mask/respirator by the dates established for each program will result in Academic Standing Penalty which may impact the student’s ability to progress in the program.
Clinical sites may train and mask/respirator-fit test students. The student is responsible for providing the mask/respirator-fit test information to the Michener Health Services.
Accommodation
Students who cannot wear, or be fitted with, an N95 mask/respirator appropriately due to medical, religious, or cultural reasons should immediately notify Health Services.
Note: while Michener will make every reasonable effort to provide accommodation and secure clinical placement experiences for its students, mask/respirator fit testing may be a condition imposed by placement agencies without which the student may not be able to complete all program requirements in order to graduate.
