Can you be an EMT if you have TB?

Can you be an EMT if you have TB?

A positive TST or blood test does NOT mean the person has TB disease; unless the person is symptomatic with cough and/or sputum production. That person (who is asymptomatic) may continue to work as an EMS staff until the medical evaluation and chest radiograph are complete, and a determination of TB infection vs.

Can an EMT read a TB test?

The results indicate that paramedics can successfully apply and accurately interpret Mantoux skin tests on public safety employees, although the number of positive tests was low, reducing the reliability of the findings.

How is TB treated EMT?

If your patient has signs of TB, protect yourself with an N95 respirator face mask. If you learn during your patient history that a patient is taking isoniazid (INH) and rifampin, assume they are being treated for TB and do the same. TB can be treated by taking several drugs for 6–12 months.

What does a positive TB test indicate EMT?

A positive TB test only tells that a person has been infected with TB bacteria. It does not tell whether the person has latent TB infection (LTBI) or has progressed to TB disease. Health care personnel with a positive TB test result should receive a symptom evaluation and chest x-ray to rule out TB disease.

What type of mask should you don If you suspect that the elderly patient for whom you are caring has tuberculosis?

Surgical mask: Device worn over the nose and mouth of a person with suspected or confirmed infectious TB disease to prevent droplet nuclei from being spread into the air.

What is TST in tuberculosis?

Tuberculin skin tests (TST) are administered to detect the presence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacterium that causes tuberculosis (TB). The terms Mantoux, TB skin test, tuberculin skin test, and PPDs are often used interchangeably. Mantoux refers to the technique for administering the test.

Can nurses give TB tests?

The tuberculin skin test must be given and read by a professional who has been trained to do this, and has been informed of the most recent guidelines in tuberculosis control. Never allow anyone other than a nurse or physician to read a tuberculin skin test.

Can anyone read a TB test?

The skin test reaction should be read between 48 and 72 hours after administration by a health care worker trained to read TST results. A patient who does not return within 72 hours will need to be rescheduled for another skin test. The reaction should be measured in millimeters of the induration (firm swelling).

What should you do if you suspect your patient has tuberculosis?

What to Do If You Have Been Exposed To TB. If you think you have been exposed to someone with TB disease, you should contact your doctor or local health department about getting a TB skin test or a special TB blood test. Be sure to tell the doctor or nurse when you spent time with the person who has TB disease.

Which of the following is the EMT required to wear when treating patients with tuberculosis?

If a patient is known or suspected to have tuberculosis (TB), a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) respirator should be worn by the EMT.

Do N95 masks protect against TB?

N95 and other disposable particulate respirators: These respirators are relatively simple, disposable devices and are now widely used for protection against occupational tuberculosis.

Can a TB test be read by a different doctor?

If you miss the second doctor visit, you’ll have to wait at least 7-10 days for another skin test. The doctor who administered the test should be the one to read the TB test results. Traditionally, the results are read as positive or negative. Nowadays, the doctor needs to know the size of the reaction in millimeters.