Bleb reduced almost instantly

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Specializes in student; help!.

I had the first of my 2-stage mantoux for school yesterday and I didn't even see the bleb. The nurse said something like, "there goes the bleb," so she seems to have seen it, but I didn't at all. Should I be concerned about the accuracy of the results tomorrow, or just figure if she said she saw it, she saw it?

Two more months! I got my med-surg books today :yeah:

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Specializes in NICU.

sounds like she just went a little deep...it won't affect the result

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Specializes in student; help!.

That would explain the bruise, too, I guess. lol

Thanks! I don't mind going for another if I have to, but if I *don't*...

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Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

don't worry. If you have a reaction you will know it

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Specializes in student; help!.

I'm not worried about a rxn, really. I just wondered if losing the bleb right away was a problem. I don't think there's a lot of TB in the community here, though who knows.

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Specializes in LPN, Peds, Public Health.

That is not true. If there is no bleb, the results are not accurate. The bled also will not disappear like that, not an accurately placed one. She should have redone the test. Blebs should be 4-6 mm and should be measured after placement for verification and if they are not then the test should be repeated.

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Specializes in Family Practice, Mental Health.

Please refer to the CDC website regarding placement of TB test

CDC | TB | Mantoux TB Skin Test Faciliator Guide - Part 1: Administering

"....slowly inject the tuberculin solution. You should feel fairly firm resistance as the tuberculin enters the skin. A tense, pale wheal that's 6 to 10 mm in diameter appears over the needle bevel. Remove the needle without pressing or massaging the area. "

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Specializes in Infusion Nursing, Home Health Infusion.

YES...You have to have a good bleb or you may get inaccurate results...it should have been repeated. It can be difficult to get that needle intradermal at times b/c of some of the safety devices used on needles and syringes now so you have to work around the products you have. Of course this does not suprize me as i see many nurses give it incorrectly....it is for that reason only the IV nurses can administer at my place of employment b/c we could not keep the nurses competent..seems simple but it is a common error.

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Specializes in Med/Surg.

For some reason, I have no idea why, I have never been able to get good blebs. For school once I had to get four injections to get one they thought "might" be accurate. I would definitely get another to be on the safe side.

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Specializes in NICU.

hmm, i never knew. I've had several TB tests over the years, some with wheals, some without. No one ever said anything about it needing to be repeated...

live and learn...

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Specializes in SUD RN.

If it's a two-step, you will be having a second test placed.   With the Mantoux process, the second step isn't done in case the first wasn't done properly, but, if the second one is placed properly (with a resulting wheal), I'd take comfort at least one was done properly and trust the result of the second test.  Where I work, clients are only tested with one-step as they aren't with us long.  If one test is good enough for the transient population, one should be good enough for the rest of us.   In the past, whenever I needed a TB test for employment as a RN, I'd go to the health department--they never made me take a second test & I was able to work.  

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