TB house arrest
Has even a little part of you ever daydreamed about being under house arrest? It can’t be that bad. No commitments, no obligations, total relaxation…
Usually those real world house arrest sentences involve some sort of crime, but one Illinois citizen is being sentenced simply because he has tuberculosis (TB).
On January 21, Champaign, IL County Circuit Judge John Kennedy has sentenced 20-year-old Clasance Botembe (CLAY-sahnce bo-TEM’-bay) to 30 days of isolation after Botembe failed to take precautions to avoid spreading the illness, according to the Associated Press. Botembe is being treated at home.
Botembe will be tracked by GPS and could be charged with a Class A misdemeanor if he disobeys the judge’s order. Court records stated that his girlfriend contracted TB because he did not take proper precautions.
All house arrest fantasies aside, having a TB patient in your facility is a serious matter and airborne precautions need to be put in place quickly, so others are not infected.
Put a surgical mask on the patient as soon as he or she enters the facility and then isolate them in an exam room with and “Airborne” sign to notify employees. If possible, the room should have monitored negative air pressure with 6 to 12 air pressure changes which discharges air out doors, and a HEPA filtration system to enhance air quality. Employees who enter the room should always wear a properly fitted N95 respirator mask or other approved PAPR respirator.
CDC guidelines for TB prevention in healthcare settings recommends conducting an annual risk assessment and isolation precautions instruct on establishing an airborne precautions policy.
Go to the Tools page under infection control to download a risk assessment adapted for medical and dental practices and other ambulatory settings.
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Peggy Luebbert
Peggy Prinz Luebbert, MS,MT(ASCP), CIC, CHSP, is the owner and consultant for Healthcare Interventions, Inc., Omaha, NE. Luebbert, a medical technologist with a master's degree in pathology, has worked in infection control for more than 20 years, and has published and lectured extensively on a national level. She is certified in infection control and healthcare safety.
Most recently, Luebbert authored the Third Edition of the Infection Control Compliance Guide.
Peggy has written 26 posts.
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