A patient with shortness of breath and a history of a tuberculin skin test (TST) of 15 mm induration was admitted to a semi-private room. The infection preventionist's FIRST action should be to
A.
contact the roommate's physician to initiate TST.
B.
review the patient's medical record to determine the likelihood of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB).
C.
report the findings to the Employee Health Department to initiate exposure follow-up of hospital staff.
D.
transfer the patient to an airborne infection isolation room and initiate appropriate isolation for tuberculosis (TB).
Before initiating airborne precautions, theinfection preventionist must first confirm the clinical suspicion of active TB.
Step-by-Step Justification:
Confirming Active TB:
Apositive tuberculin skin test (TST) alone does not indicate active disease.
A review ofchest X-ray, symptoms, and risk factorsis needed.
Medical Record Review:
Past TB history, imaging, and sputum testingare key to diagnosis.
Not all TST-positive patients require isolation.
Why Other Options Are Incorrect:
A. Contact the roommate's physician to initiate TST:Premature, asno confirmation of active TB existsyet.
C. Report findings to Employee Health for staff follow-up:Should occuronly after TB confirmation.
D. Transfer to airborne isolation immediately:Airborne isolation is necessaryonly if active TB is suspected based on clinical findings.
CBIC Infection Control References:
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