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Discussion

how often do you need to get a PPD test?

how often do you need to get a PPD test? is it every year or every two years?

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    • Featured Replies

    It depends on what your institutional policies dictate. My hospital requires it annually.

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    We follow CDC guidelines. Because we are in an area with low numbers of disease we are allowed not to do it annually. People who get exposed will be followed, of course. We have had 2 admits within 12 months with TB so our IC nurse said one more, and we go back to annually.

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    My school required that we get tested annually. If I recall correctly, every place I've ever worked that required TB testing did it annually. My current volunteer job also requires annual testing and if you're even a little late on the testing, you have to do the 2-step test instead of the normal 1-step. As others have said, the best thing to do is simply follow school/company/agency/hospital procedures about this because they will be the ones to let you know about the testing requirement for them or their area.

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    • Experts

    Depends on your organization's policy. I've worked places where I've had to have them q6months and places where I had to have them yearly.

    It seems as though the standard is yearly. But again, check with your organization as it's what they want that matters.

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    As a field nurse in home health annually is the current requirement for both jobs

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    • Admin

    Depends on the facility's policy. We used to test annually; then there was a shortage of the PPD injection. Since we were deemed a low-risk area, only those who were exposed get tested now. Not sure if it'll ever go back to how it was or just stay this way.

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    • Experts

    We used to get 2 on hire ... then 1 annually. Since the shortage, we now must get a blood test on hire, then just symptomatic screening annually. If there is some reason to suspect expose, we have to get another blood test.

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    At my facility, we're supposed to get it done annually.

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    • Experts

    Annual PPD in our home health agency--check your facility policy.

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    We follow the current CDC guidelines which don't recommend routine TB skin testing for surveillance except for an initial screen on hire for it what terms "low-risk" settings, which is most settings.

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    Annually. 2 on hire.

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    • Experts

    I am in one of the largest metropolitan areas in the US. Most facilities in this area require tuberculin skin testing yearly.

    About six years ago my tuberculin intradermal tests started yielding positive results (large areas of induration), so I no longer receive annual skin testing. I now receive a chest XRay every five years per the policy of my workplace.

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