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News & Press: Nurse Consultant Corner

Tuberculosis Training Requirement

Wednesday, April 17, 2019   (0 Comments)
Posted by: Mandy Rubenstein

By Lores Vlaminck, MA, BSN, RN, CHPN

The Survey and Regulatory Analysis (SRA) team has noted several Tuberculosis (TB) training MDH survey citations. Tuberculosis (TB) training at the time of hire is eluded to in the following statute for comprehensive licensed agencies AND Medicare certified agencies, regardless of assessed risk for TB. The content of the training is indicated in the CDC guidance as basic information to be included.

144A.4798 EMPLOYEE HEALTH STATUS.

Subdivision 1. Tuberculosis (TB) prevention and control. A home care provider must establish and maintain a TB prevention and control program based on the most current guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Components of a TB prevention and control program include screening all staff providing home care services, both paid and unpaid, at the time of hire for active TB disease and latent TB infection, and developing and implementing a written TB infection control plan. The commissioner shall make the most recent CDC standards available to home care providers on the department's website.

The Guidelines issued by the CDC includes the following:

Chapter 2. States: HCW education

  • TB training is required at time of hire for all HCWs. The content of the training should be appropriate to the job responsibilities and educational or professional background of the HCW.

In medium-risk settings, TB training should be conducted annually. Low-risk settings should annually evaluate the need for TB training, and conduct training as needed.

Content should focus on basic information about:

  • TB pathogenesis and transmission,
  • Signs and symptoms of active TB disease, and
  • Your health care setting's infection control plan (i.e., how to implement early recognition, isolation, and referral procedure), especially any sections that employees are responsible for implementing.

Additional questions? Feel free to send a question to the Nurse Consultant Helpdesk.


MINNESOTA HOME CARE ASSOCIATION

PHONE 651.635.0607 | FAX 651.635.0043