Saskatchewan Collaborative Bachelor of Science in Nursing Tuberculin Skin Test Requirement

Saskatchewan Polytechnic and the University of Regina take precautions against Tuberculous


January 28, 2019 - In accordance with Clinical Placement Agreements on immunization, students entering Nursing and Health Sciences practicum programming, including the Saskatchewan Collaborative Bachelor of Science in Nursing (SCBScN) program, require Tuberculin Skin Test prior to placement in clinical or health authority work environments. During an audit of placement documentation, it was noted that the Tuberculin Skin Test (TST) was not properly recorded for Sask Polytech Saskatoon campus nursing and health sciences students. Also, the TST was not properly recorded for students in the Saskatchewan Collaborative Bachelor of Science in Nursing (SCBScN) program. The SCBScN is offered in partnership between the University of Regina and Saskatchewan Polytechnic. The TST is completed in conjunction with the immunization package that all nursing and health sciences students need to complete before starting their practicums.

Saskatchewan Polytechnic consulted with TB Prevention and Control Saskatchewan and there is no public risk because of the lack of testing. A positive TST result indicates that an individual may have latent TB infection. People with latent TB infection are not contagious and cannot spread TB infection to others. The purpose of TST among health care students and employees is to ensure that individuals receive appropriate testing and treatment for TB disease, and individuals who are exposed to a patient with infectious TB receive the correct follow-up testing for TB.

Graduates of the program should have received a TST through their health-care employer as part of the documentation required for employment. As a result, Sask Polytech will only be re-testing current SCBScN students in order to complete the required training documentation.

“We have notified all affected SCBScN students of the requirement to have the TST conducted and provided information on how this will take place,” said Sandra Blevins, dean, School of Nursing and School of Health Sciences, Saskatchewan Polytechnic. “We have established a process to undertake the testing while making it as convenient as possible for the students.

“Students in the SCBScN program require a Tuberculin Skin Test to establish a baseline prior to placement in clinical or health region work environments,” said david Gregory, dean Faculty of Nursing, University of Regina. “The TST identifies whether a student has been previously exposed to tuberculosis and requires scheduled follow up by TB Prevention and Control Saskatchewan.”

Steps have been taken to ensure immunization records at Sask Polytech are properly documented for all nursing and health sciences students. Additional internal processes are being reviewed to ensure appropriate procedures in place to prevent this type of incident occurring in the future.

About Sask Polytech: Saskatchewan Polytechnic serves students through applied learning opportunities at campuses in Moose Jaw, Prince Albert, Regina and Saskatoon, and through extensive distance education opportunities. Programs serve every economic and public service sector. As a polytechnic, the organization provides the depth of learning appropriate to employer and student need, including certificate, diploma and degree programs, and apprenticeship training. Saskatchewan Polytechnic engages in applied research, drawing on faculty expertise to support innovation by employers, and providing students the opportunity to develop critical thinking skills.

About The University of Regina: The University of Regina—with campuses located on Treaty 4 and Treaty 6 territories, the ancestral lands of the Cree, Saulteaux, Dakota, Lakota and Nakoda nations and the homeland of the Métis—is a comprehensive, mid-sized university that traces its roots back to the creation of Regina College in 1911. Today, more than 15,000 students study within the University's 10 faculties, 25 academic departments/schools, 18 research centres and institutes, and three federated colleges (Campion College, First Nations University of Canada, and Luther College). The University of Regina has an established reputation for excellence and innovative programs that lead to undergraduate, master, and doctoral degrees.

For more information visit: Tuberculin Skin Test Frequently Asked Questions.

 

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