six weeks for 2-step tb testing??

[jrcbtst]

hi, i hope you guys can answer my concern... i just got a call from a nursing agency then they ask me to get tb test before i can be interviewed...so i got one last week... when i called the agency today i told them i have my tb results ready. then suddenly they ask me i need 2-step tb test... so i called the clinic again to schedule for 2 step tb test... but the clinic told me i need to wait SIX WEEKS for the second test... so my question is does it really take that long to finish a 2 step tb test?? six weeks?? im surprised because i thoughy i can have it done in less than 2 weeks... i cant afford to wait six weeks for a tb test... i might lose that possible employment :z

[Terahmrtnz]

When I did my 2 step I only had to wait 10 days... So I don't know what they are talking about

[loriangel14, RN]

I only had to wait 2 weeks in between. Maybe they changed the rules.

[NotReady4PrimeTime, RN]

I'd call the clinic again. The usual interval between the two-step TST can range from 1 to 3 weeks, so I'd question their assertion that you wait 6 weeks. If that's a directive from your potential employer (that there be a 6 week interval between tests) then they can hardly hold you to blame for the delay. The Two-step TST is used by many health care employers, especially if they deal with a lot of IENs. As you know, TB is endemic in certain parts of the world so they're just being cautious to protect their clients.

[jrcbtst]

the thing is when i went to the clinic i only said TB TEST because i thought thats the only thing there is... not 2-step TB TEST.. and when i found out fron the potential employer that he needed 2-step tb test thats when i called the clinic again.. is there a difference in the procedures between 1-step and 2-step?

[NotReady4PrimeTime, RN]

Yes, there is. It's done to ensure that people who may have had TB in the distant past who may not react to the initial test aren't false positives later just from having been resensitized by the first test.