TB Test Professional Standards and Ethics 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A healthcare worker discovers a colleague performed a TST reading 72 hours late and documented it as if done on time. What is the appropriate professional response?
- Ignore it since the result was negative
- Report the discrepancy to a supervisor or compliance officer (Correct answer)
- Correct only the internal log but not the patient record
- Ask the colleague to retrain without formal reporting
Correct answer: Report the discrepancy to a supervisor or compliance officer
Falsifying documentation timelines violates professional standards and must be reported through proper channels.
Question 2: Which ethical principle is most directly upheld when a patient is told about the risks and benefits of TB testing before giving consent?
- Beneficence
- Justice
- Autonomy (Correct answer)
- Nonmaleficence
Correct answer: Autonomy
Autonomy is upheld by ensuring patients can make informed decisions about their own care.
Question 3: A TB test administrator suspects a patient is undocumented and may fear deportation. Professionally, the administrator should:
- Notify immigration authorities as a public safety measure
- Refuse testing until identification is provided
- Provide testing regardless of immigration status and maintain confidentiality (Correct answer)
- Ask the patient to return with proper documents
Correct answer: Provide testing regardless of immigration status and maintain confidentiality
Public health standards require TB testing be offered to all persons regardless of immigration status, with confidentiality maintained.
Question 4: What does the term 'scope of practice' mean for a TB test administrator?
- The geographic area where they can work
- The specific tasks they are trained and legally authorized to perform (Correct answer)
- The number of tests they can administer per day
- The types of TB they can diagnose
Correct answer: The specific tasks they are trained and legally authorized to perform
Scope of practice defines the procedures and responsibilities a professional is qualified and authorized to perform.
Question 5: A patient refuses to return for their TST reading appointment. What is the most appropriate action?
- Record the test as invalid and document the patient's non-compliance
- Contact the patient and offer alternative reading arrangements (Correct answer)
- Assume a negative result and close the case
- Report the patient to public health authorities immediately
Correct answer: Contact the patient and offer alternative reading arrangements
Professionals should attempt to re-engage patients and offer flexible options before closing a case.
Question 6: Which situation represents a conflict of interest for a TB test administrator?
- Reading a TST on a stranger from another clinic
- Administering a TST to a family member in a professional setting (Correct answer)
- Using CDC guidelines when interpreting results
- Documenting a result immediately after reading
Correct answer: Administering a TST to a family member in a professional setting
Testing a close family member creates a conflict of interest due to potential bias in reading or reporting results.
Question 7: When is it appropriate for a TB test administrator to share patient TB test results with an employer?
- Whenever the employer requests the information
- Only when the patient has provided written consent (Correct answer)
- When the result is positive, regardless of consent
- Only if the employer is a healthcare facility
Correct answer: Only when the patient has provided written consent
Patient health information may only be shared with third parties, including employers, when the patient has given written authorization.
TB Test Professional Standards and Ethics 2
A healthcare worker discovers a colleague performed a TST reading 72 hours late and documented it as if done on time.
What is the appropriate professional response?