Tuberculosis: Handbook for School Nurses

This handbook provides information concerning the role of school nurses in the prevention, testing, and medical treatment of students with TB. The handbook is divided into three sections: TB Fundamentals with a particular focus on school-aged children; Applying TB Fundamentals in the school setting, which covers issues related to medication administration, treatment adherence, and directly observed therapy (DOT) in the school setting; and Appendices that include risk assessment guidelines, medication side effects, and templates for record keeping. The guideline explains the transmission and pathogenesis of TB and makes recommendations for school-wide TB testing. It describes the difference between TB and LTBI (latent TB infection). The guideline describes the treatments available for active TB and preventive therapy for those with TB infection. It discusses the process of safely and correctly administering medications to students and monitoring them for any changes. The guideline explains how to keep a tuberculin skin test record, the side effects of TB medications, and how to maintain an accurate directly observed therapy (DOT) log.