Office Testing

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Specializes in school nurse.

Out of curiosity- does anyone have the option to do rapid strep tests in your health office? If so, how did you get it covered order-wise?

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Specializes in kids.

Nope, cause what are you gonna do with a +? We cannot treat it. I  wished for it a while ago but decided that the CLIA waiver and all the other crap wasn't worth it. What if it is a false neg? That happened to me once. I had a sore throat, rapid was neg so I went on my merry way and and hour later I was taken to me knees with such pain and a repeat of the test was + a day later.  Just my .02

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Specializes in school nurse.
Just now, NutmeggeRN said:

Nope, cause what are you gonna do with a +? We cannot treat it. I  wished for it a while ago but decided that the CLIA waiver and all the other crap wasn't worth it. What if it is a false neg? That happened to me once. I had a sore throat, rapid was neg so I went on my merry way and and hour later I was taken to me knees with such pain and a repeat of the test was + a day later.  Just my .02

It would be for screening purposes.

Your experience with the strep test reminds me of some of the antigen testing. Negative with symptoms on Monday, then positive in the morning on Tuesday...

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Specializes in kids.

Exactly! I would worry that a kid wouldn't get taken to MD...by my experience with some parents.

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Specializes in School nursing.
On 1/27/2022 at 11:15 AM, NutmeggeRN said:

Exactly! I would worry that a kid wouldn't get taken to MD...by my experience with some parents.

This x1000. At least at the MD office, they will send the culture out if rapid is negative but it still looks a lot like strep. And even prescribe antibiotics in the meantime. We would not be able to do any of that...and a positive strep test would still mean a doctor trip to get medication and how would we report it?

The last thing I really want is the school nurse's office to be a lab. I already feel like that with COVID, and I do not need one more step to feel like I'm a doctor's office without the doc honestly. 

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Specializes in School Nursing.

We offer PCR testing for diagnostic only.  We have a standing order from our state health director.  The results go to the parents and we let them know that they need to seek medical attention.  

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On 1/27/2022 at 10:11 AM, NutmeggeRN said:

Nope, cause what are you gonna do with a +? We cannot treat it. I  wished for it a while ago but decided that the CLIA waiver and all the other crap wasn't worth it. What if it is a false neg? That happened to me once. I had a sore throat, rapid was neg so I went on my merry way and and hour later I was taken to me knees with such pain and a repeat of the test was + a day later.  Just my .02

Was the pain in your throat?  

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Specializes in School Nursing.
On 1/26/2022 at 10:12 AM, Jedrnurse said:

Out of curiosity- does anyone have the option to do rapid strep tests in your health office? If so, how did you get it covered order-wise?

We were going to go with the test-to stay option but we are having a difficult time getting the rapid tests in.  

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Specializes in kids.
13 hours ago, Kooky Korky said:

Was the pain in your throat?  

Yup it felt like had swallowed glass! I had the shakes and a fever of 103

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