Ppd X 2????

[zumalong]

Just finished my orientation to return to my old unit. I have been in nursing for over 16 years and have always gotten my ppd every year--and they have always been negative.

The new job mandated that I have 2 consecutive ppd tests before I could go to orientation. I even had a chest xray done in January when my asthma was kicking up. They would'nt accept this.

It seems to me this is overkill. I could maybe see if I had never been tested for TB, but I was just tested in April of this year. I just wonder if this is policy all over?

[ERNurse752, RN]

At one hospital where I worked, they did the two-step PPD.

I once had to have 3 separate PPD's within a few weeks of each other...one for school, one for one hospital, and one for another I was doing an internship at...each place refused to take results from the others!

[jules-RN]

When I started my new job, I was required to have 2 PPDs within the past year. I had just had one done in February, so they took that one and planted another.

It didn't bother me...I worked in Med/Respiratory for 4 years and we were always getting tested because of all the TB patients we took care of. I think one year I was tested 6 times.

[nrselisa]

My school requires the two-step. Most Drs. in the area won't do them so must of us had to go to the state building to have it done. Luckily a classmate works there so she was able to explain to them that it was necessary.

[capgirl]

Every health care agency I ever worked for all require the 2 step method, and even the residents in LTC are required to have the 2 step.

The rationale as I understand it is that a person may be positive and not react to the first one, but since that first one acts as a "booster", if you are positive, you will definitely react to the second.

[fiestynurse]

Candidates for two-step tuberculin skin testing include individuals who cannot document a history of a negative tuberculin skin test within the past year.

If you had documentation that you had a negative Tb test within the last year, you should not have been issued the two-step test.

[OBNURSEHEATHER]

Originally posted by fiestynurse

Candidates for two-step tuberculin skin testing include individuals who cannot document a history of a negative tuberculin skin test within the past year.

If you had documentation that you had a negative Tb test within the last year, you should not have been issued the two-step test.

I posted awhile back about a situation I had with my PPD.

Long story short, several of my coworkers feel we got the wrong solution (not PPD), had a pretty bad reaction to it, and stated such to Employee Health. They just blew us off. Told us it was the right stuff and we were negative, we were good for the rest of the year.

Came back about 2 weeks ago and said we need another one. We typed up a letter stating exactly what feistynurse said, we had documentation for >3 years showing (-) PPD's, especially the PPD in question, and would not be submitting to another,

Haven't heard another word :)

But every place I've worked as a nurse (OK, just 2, but still) has required a 2 step at hire.

Heather

[fiestynurse]

The CDC is always the place to go with questions like this. They are the final word when it comes to Tb testing requirements.

They have stated that a two-step test is only necessary on INITIAL testing of health care workers. These are individuals new to the profession or nurses who have been out of nursing for awhile. Most of us get tested yearly and have good documentation of recent negative tests.

The two-step test is not needed in this case. Many health care employers are confused about this. Have them check with the National Center for Disease Control. (CDC)

http://www.cdc.gov/nchstp/tb/pubs/tbfactsheets/250102.htm