TB Policy - Risk Assessment Checklist

Dear Home Care Agencies,

You should be aware that TB Questionnaire and Risk Assessment have been updated since last year 2021. Please be mindful that those changes are still in effect. If you haven't done so please implement in order to meet compliance.

To have additional information and know what the effective TB Requirements are, please see the table below.

​What Changed	​Precedent (2018)	​Following (2021)	​Notes
​INDIVIDUAL RISK ASSESSMENT	​Residence*	​Birthplace/Residence* Current or planned immunosuppression** Close contact with someone who has TB Documentation of prior TB tests, either a tuberculin skin (TST) or an interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA) blood test***	​*Temporary or permanent residence (for >1 month) in a country with a high TB rate (i.e., any country other than Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United States, and those in western or northern Europe). **Human immunodeficiency virus infection, receipt of an organ transplant, treatment with a TNF-alpha antagonist (e.g., infliximab, etanercept, or other), chronic steroids (equivalent to prednisone>15mg/day for >1 month) or other immunosuppressive medication. ***Results if available.
TB HISTORY		Determination of previous TB or LTBI and treatment	​Results from prior tests if available. Test for TB infection, either by interferon gamma release assay (IGRA) or tuberculin skin test (TST) for those without LTBI or TB disease.
SYMPTOMS REVIEW	Fever Night Sweats Unexplained weight loss Fatigue Spitting/coughing blood Productive cough Chest pain	​Chills or Drenching night sweats for no known reason Unexplained fatigue for more than 3 weeks Persistent shortness of breath Coughing up blood Productive cough for more than 3 weeks

PLEASE REMEMBER:

• TB Questionnaire and Risk Assessment must be completed initially (pre-employment) and annually by a qualified RN.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Emmanuel Consulting Agency.