Question

An occupational health nurse in a factory is performing a routine TB screening and identifies an employee who has a positive Mantoux tuberculin test. Which of the following actions should the nurse plan to take?

a) Administer a chest X-ray to confirm active tuberculosis
b) Initiate immediate treatment for tuberculosis
c) Repeat the Mantoux test to confirm the result
d) Isolate the employee from other workers until further evaluation

Answer 1

The occupational health nurse should administer a chest X-ray to confirm an active tuberculosis infection following a positive Mantoux tuberculin test.

Step-by-step explanation:

After identifying an employee with a positive Mantoux tuberculin test, an occupational health nurse should plan to administer a chest X-ray to confirm active tuberculosis. This screening step is necessary because a positive Mantoux test indicates exposure to Mycobacterium tuberculosis but does not confirm an active infection. Chest radiographs are required to verify the presence of Ghon complex formation, which suggests a prior infection. The Mantoux test can yield false-positive results due to a prior vaccination with the BCG vaccine or if the immune response was generated by a previous TB infection that has since been cleared or gone into latency. Therefore, administering a chest X-ray is the correct next step for confirmation before considering further measures such as treatment or isolation.