Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences > Doctor of Pharmacy > Experiential Education > WSU COVID-19 guidance for rotations

WSU COVID-19 Guidance for Rotations

WSU requires all students to either be vaccinated or have an approved exemption, in compliance with WSU Health Sciences Immunization Requirements. We encourage students to stay up to date on their COVID-19 vaccines and continue to follow CDC guidance. Note that boosters are still required for some sites. Students with a WSU exemption for the didactic setting are fully aware that an exemption must be sought at rotation sites, which may not be approved impacting site placement and progress in the PharmD program.

Students receive annual OSHA training which includes but is not limited to airborne precautions, proper handwashing, cough and respiratory etiquette, PPE information including donning and doffing.

Reinforcing on-site Policies and Procedures

Students on rotation must follow the policies and procedures at the practice site in which they are placed. We do not impose additional COVID-19 screening or testing policies beyond what the site requires. Preceptors can help by ensuring students are oriented to these procedures and are provided the same instructions as employees, so that students can safely participate in patient care. Students should monitor their health and stay at home when experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms.

Reminders for Practice Sites

  • Physically distance when possible
  • When appropriate wear a face mask appropriate for the environment
  • When feeling ill stay home
  • Follow site guidelines

Illness, Potential Illness & Contingency Planning

Absence Policy

WSU Student and Preceptor Manuals outline the absence policies. Students are allowed 4 excused absences for each APPE rotation, and 2 excused absences for IPPE rotations. All hours must be made-up. Those approaching the threshold should notify WSU Experiential Services (ES) to work through options.

General Illness & COVID-19 Exposures

Students who feel ill or have a known COVID-19 exposure should immediately notify their preceptor and may be required to notify a site’s employee health unit. Sites may require individuals to remain off-site pending COVID-19 testing (1-2 tests). Please refer to CDC guidance for COVID-19 exposure and illness for health care providers and quarantine or isolate as necessary.

Making up Hours & Staying on Track

We understand that per site policies students may have absences from the practice site when they are ill or awaiting test results. If possible, we recommend preceptors assign tasks that support the learning objectives of the rotation. Please refer to the APPE Student and Preceptor manual for more information regarding the Absence Policy, which includes information about make-up hours. The manual is available to both students and preceptors within their CORE ELMS account in the Document Library.