Tuberculosis
Potential Hazards
Emergency department (ED) staff may be exposed to Tuberculosis (TB) and other infectious agents from patients in waiting room and treatment areas. They may be treating an emergency and be unaware of other pre-existing infectious conditions.
Patients with a productive cough could be asked to wear a mask to prevent the spread of infection.
Possible Solutions
- Provide and practice early patient screening in the ED to identify potentially infectious patients, and provide isolation to prevent employee exposures. The Centers for Disease Control guidelines say ED employees should treat patients as having suspected infectious TB if they have both a persistent cough lasting at least three weeks, and at least two of the following additional symptoms:
- bloody sputum
- night sweats
- weight loss
- fever
- anorexia
- Provide engineering, work practice, and administrative procedures to reduce the risk of exposure. For example:
- Patients with a productive cough could be asked to wear a mask to prevent the spread of infection.
- Post waiting rooms signs that state, "If you are coughing you may be asked to wear a mask."
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
1-6. What should patients in the Emergency Department with a productive cough be asked to wear?
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