A patient with a chronic productive cough and weight loss is receiving a tuberculosis skin test and asks the nurse the reason for the test. Which response should the nurse give?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A positive skin test will indicate whether the patient has been infected with tuberculosis. It does not indicate active infection, which will be established through chest x-ray and sputum culture. Initial drug treatment with 4 antibiotics uses a standardized protocol. Although the public health department should be notified if the patient has TB, the nurse should focus on the patient, rather than on the public health concerns.

A Patient with a Chronic Productive Cough and Weight Loss