TB Test Safety and Compliance 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following is NOT considered an administrative control for TB prevention in healthcare settings?
- Triaging patients with cough symptoms
- Implementing visitor restrictions
- Installing UV germicidal irradiation (UVGI) (Correct answer)
- Training staff on TB recognition
Correct answer: Installing UV germicidal irradiation (UVGI)
UVGI is an environmental/engineering control, not an administrative control; administrative controls focus on policies and work practices.
Question 2: A patient presents with a cough lasting 3 weeks, night sweats, and unexplained weight loss. The safety protocol requires the staff to:
- Seat the patient in the general waiting area
- Immediately place a surgical mask on the patient and isolate them (Correct answer)
- Administer a TST before further evaluation
- Discharge the patient and schedule outpatient follow-up
Correct answer: Immediately place a surgical mask on the patient and isolate them
Patients with TB symptoms should immediately receive a surgical mask and be placed in a separate area to prevent potential airborne transmission.
Question 3: Latent TB infection (LTBI) treatment with isoniazid (INH) for 9 months is intended to:
- Cure active TB disease
- Reduce the risk of LTBI progressing to active TB (Correct answer)
- Eliminate the need for future TB testing
- Provide immunity equivalent to BCG vaccine
Correct answer: Reduce the risk of LTBI progressing to active TB
INH treatment for LTBI significantly reduces the lifetime risk of progression to active tuberculosis disease.
Question 4: Which document must employers provide to employees regarding occupational TB risks under OSHA's Hazard Communication standard?
- Employee rights poster
- Safety data sheet (SDS) (Correct answer)
- NIOSH certification notice
- CDC surveillance report
Correct answer: Safety data sheet (SDS)
While SDS applies broadly to hazardous substances, OSHA requires employers to inform workers of workplace hazards, including biological hazards like TB.
Question 5: After a TB exposure incident, the timeline for initial post-exposure TST or IGRA testing is:
- Immediately after exposure
- 8–10 weeks after exposure (Correct answer)
- 6 months after exposure
- Only if symptoms develop
Correct answer: 8–10 weeks after exposure
Post-exposure testing is typically performed 8–10 weeks after exposure to allow the immune response to develop and produce a detectable result.
Question 6: Which situation would warrant removing a healthcare worker from direct patient care due to TB-related concerns?
- Worker has a documented history of BCG vaccination
- Worker refuses annual TST or IGRA testing (Correct answer)
- Worker tests positive for LTBI and starts INH treatment
- Worker has traveled internationally in the past year
Correct answer: Worker refuses annual TST or IGRA testing
Refusal of required TB screening may constitute non-compliance with workplace safety policy and may justify removal from patient care until resolved.
Question 7: TB infection control plans in healthcare facilities must comply with guidelines issued by which organization?
- American Medical Association (AMA)
- The Joint Commission (TJC)
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (Correct answer)
- National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Correct answer: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
The CDC publishes the primary TB infection control guidelines that healthcare facilities must follow to reduce transmission risk.
TB Test Safety and Compliance 3
Which of the following is NOT considered an administrative control for TB prevention in healthcare settings?