South Carolina Long Term Health Care Administrator Practice Test

A staff member may serve as the baseline TST if they had a negative result within how many months?

1. Three

2. Six

3. Twelve

4. Twenty-four

The correct answer is: Three

In the context of tuberculosis (TB) screening, especially in facilities like long-term health care settings, a baseline Tuberculin Skin Test (TST) is essential for ensuring the safety of both staff and residents. A negative TST result indicates that the individual has not been exposed to TB or does not currently have an active infection. For health care providers and staff members, the standard recommendation is for a negative TST result to be valid for a period of three months when assessing their eligibility to work in a TB risk environment. This means that if a staff member has a negative result within the last three months, they can be considered as meeting the baseline requirement for TB screening and can participate in patient care without additional testing. This policy is in place because TB exposure can occur frequently in health care settings, so regular oversight and testing are essential to maintain health standards. Waiting longer than three months could result in unseen developments, as new infections or exposures may occur after that period, thus increasing the risk of transmitting TB within vulnerable populations. In essence, a recent negative TST result is crucial and serves as a practical timeframe for assessing ongoing risk, while longer periods would not guarantee that a staff member is free from potential TB exposure or infection.