just want to vent out.... any advise please.... I am worried

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I got my ppd test done and the result was positive and the nurse has reffered me to the health department. I will be in school starting next week for nursing program and required to submit all my clinical document next week too. This is what happen before given the test the MLR person asked me some questions 1st: Have I been tested positive before? I said NO 2nd: Am I pregnant? I said NO 3rd:Have u had TB immunizations before? I said NO thinking what she meant was if i had the test before which the questions on the paper was supposed to be Did I get a BCG before? coming from another country which english is not my first language I got confused and today the nurse had asked me the right question and I said YES. Honestly all I know is BCG beco''z since I grew up I was wondering what is the scar on my shoulder and everybody said BCG. The nurse told me I should have said something co'z they should not done the test beco'z with BCG no matter what u will always have positive test so I explained myself and she talked to her collegue out loud that I wasn't asked the right question. Me and my hubby was in the room and heared them judged me with a loud voice that I should have known it since I have it that it's my fault.There were few patients there waiting which I'm sure that they all heared the situation. I was embarrased the way they judged me just beco'z i was tested positive. I requested an X-ray and hoping that it will come back negative. Now my biggest fear is if my school will still take me even with positive test? I!ve been dreaming to become a nurse since I was young and I feel like I will never reach it, I don't know what to do anymore can't stop crying thinking about it... Lord help me....

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First of all take a deep breath. Many people test positive on their ppd test, some even due to sensitivity as well. You just have to wait until the chest X-ray results. Just make sure you have all the paperwork for your school saying its negative. If your arent actively have symptoms of TB, then youre fine. Don't get stressed out over what those nurses say. Chances are you'll never see them again.

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Specializes in Acute Care. ER. Aged Care/LTC. Psyche.

In the place where I work (USA), all the staff who came from my country tested positive for TB skin test except me. But that didn't stop the hospital from hiring them because they don't have active TB infection as evidenced by their x-ray results. Also, some family friends who migrated to Canada tested positive for it but has negative TB on x-ray. And Canadian immigration still approved their visa.

My point is, don't worry about it if you don't have any TB symptoms. Immigration, schools, organizations know that citizens of certain countries are at high risk for TB and so they request x-ray results. TB skin test is inaccurate, esp. if you had a BCG vaccine.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

We cannot offer medical advice here on AN. If you had the BCG vaccine I'm not surprised you converted to positive. Working with the general public you, of course, cannot have a communicative disease. Take a deep breath and get the CXR.

Good Luck!

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

As mentioned we can not offer medical advice but if I remember rightly there are more false positives than positive positives.

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