Final answer:
The nurse should be educated on isoniazid (INH) treatment for latent TB infection and its side effects. Annual repeat TB testing is not required unless there's ongoing exposure risk.
Step-by-step explanation:
A positive tuberculin skin test signifies that a person has been exposed to the Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacterium and has developed a cellular immune response. In this scenario, a staff nurse with a 16-mm induration but no symptoms and a negative chest x-ray likely has a latent TB infection (LTBI). Treatment of LTBI is vital to prevent the development of active TB disease, and the first-line medication for this is isoniazid (INH).
The occupational health nurse should plan to teach the staff nurse about the use of INH and its potential side effects, which can include hepatotoxicity (liver damage), neurotoxicity (nerve damage), and hematologic toxicity (blood cell changes like anemia). However, treatment guidelines may recommend repeat TB skin testing only if there's a new exposure or in the case of conversion from negative to positive.
Considering the Mantoux test's susceptibility to false-positive results in BCG-vaccinated individuals and this nurse's latent infection status, annual repeat testing is not always indicated unless there is ongoing risk of repeated exposure to TB. The nurse does not need information about the BCG vaccine, as it is not commonly used in the United States and would not be relevant to their current condition.
The occupational health nurse should focus on educating the staff nurse about the use of INH for LTBI treatment, including its side effects, and discuss the guidelines for repeat testing or monitoring, rather than BCG vaccination.