TB testing 2020, good riddance?

WOOHOO!!!

I actually haven't been tested in three years. I guess the district doesn't want the news. One of my favorite bosses in TB world used to say "A decision to test is a decision to treat." And we ended up treating a lot of folks who got their TB (if it was a real positive and not a BCG reaction thing) not in the healthcare environs.

Although if I was changing jobs I'd want me a baseline just in case....

the only time I needed one was for nursing school. I think the one I had for nursing school was good enough for employment. havent had one in 7 years

I had heard about the CDCs new guidelines and sent it to our infection control dept (although I probably should have sent it to the employee health dept) at our hospital. We still have to do it every year. My husband works as a customer service rep at a DME (so he works in the office all day) and they make them get a tb skin test yearly also. Seems ridiculous to me.

we test every 6 months...

We usually test annually but this year I was told there was a shortage of the tuberculin, so those not working in high risk areas were deferred. Very interesting that it’s not recommended anymore.

I haven't been screened in close to ten years.

29 minutes ago, MunoRN said:

I haven't been screened in close to ten years.

Just curious- what is your work setting? (Hospital, home health, etc)

1 hour ago, old&improved said:

Just curious- what is your work setting? (Hospital, home health, etc)

Hospital, mainly critical care and ED during that time.

On 11/8/2019 at 6:52 PM, harvestmoon said:

we test every 6 months...

Do you have an extraordinarily high exposure?

Definitely more than the other clinics but I still think it is overkill...

we get a choice between TB Gold and subcu+48hr and I do TBGold every time.

My nurse friend ( one of the toughest,strongest nurses we have ever known).... caught TB while working in a "safer" area.The drugs made her sick,required hospitalization,all this resulted in developing a muscular dystrophy type of loss in muscle strength etc, could not get out of chair by herself. She had to quit nursing.It wrecked her life and that of her family.