Minnesota Department of Corrections

 

Division Directive:     500.550                                   Title:   Lyme Disease

Issue Date:                 6/2/09

Effective Date:          7/7/09

 

AUTHORITY:           Minn. R. 5206

 

PURPOSE:    To prevent the spread of the Lyme disease spirochete in department correctional facilities.

 

APPLICABILITY:    All facilities

 

DIRECTIVE: The department will provide education and appropriate personal protective equipment to prevent the spread of Lyme disease.  All confirmed cases will be reported to the Minnesota Department of Health.

 

DEFINITIONS:

Lyme disease - an acute and/or chronic inflammatory infection transmitted by a tickborne spirochete (deer tick).  There is no human to human transmission.

 

PROCEDURES:

A.        Facility safety administrators, in conjunction with facility infection control nurses, will coordinate Lyme disease training with staff and offenders working in high risk areas, including the following information:

1.         Use protective clothing, including light colors when available, long sleeves and pants with pant legs tucked into stockings.

2.         Use tick repellent containing diethyltoluamide (25%-30% DEET) onto exposed skin.

3.         Observe skin frequently for signs of ticks.

4.         If tick is attached, remove with a tweezers using steady traction applied close to the skin.

5.         Wear gloves if removing an attached tick from another person.

6.         Wash DEET-containing products off skin as soon as possible after task completion.

7.         Identify high risk areas (wooded, shaded, tick infested areas).

 

B.        Offender Crew Supervisors will:

1.        Provide training (as above) to offenders working in high risk areas during daily talks;

2.        Maintain control of, and dispense tick repellant, including instruction on application;

3.         Instruct offenders to make a timely report on tick bites to the crew supervisor and health services for medical attention;

4.        Inform offenders to bring the tick(s) to health services whenever possible; and

5.         Inform facility Human Resources Management and seek outside medical attention if the crew supervisor gets infected from a deer tick bite.

 

C.        Health Services nursing staff will:

1.         Provide offender assessment and referral to practitioner if indicated;

2.         Wear gloves when removing ticks;  and

3.         Provide offender education as indicated.

 

D.        Health Services medical practitioner will:

1.         Evaluate and treat offenders as indicated, and

2.         Report diagnosed cases to the Minnesota Department of Health.

 

REVIEW:       Annually

 

REFERENCES:         ACA Standards 4-4361, 4-4355, 1-ABC-4E-43, 1-ABC-4E-41.

 

SUPERSESSION:     Division Directive 500.550, "Lyme Disease," 8/7/07.

All facility policies, memos, or other communications whether verbal, written, or transmitted by electronic means regarding this topic.

 

ATTACHMENTS:    None

 

/s/

Nanette M. Larson, Director

Health Services