Behold, the human pincushion!

[district12ravenclaw]

This morning, I got up early for the first time in a week and a half, and headed over to the doctor's for my physical. Fun stuff. I got a TB skin test, the final shot of my hepatitis B series, and some blood work. My poor right arm is useless to me right now :). Zero is sitting in my lap right now and keeps leaning against my arm, which I'm fiercely trying to protect. My last TB test came out positive, and I'm thinking that part of the reason was because I scratched at it when I wasn't supposed to. The chest x-ray of course turned out negative though. Hopefully, I won't have to go through all of that again.

Today was looking to be a busy day for me, but perhaps it won't be after all. I left a message at the vet's office to get the results of the bloodwork on two of my cats, and I really need to get the tint on my window fixed too. I just don't feel like going out anymore. My time off, while relaxing for the most part, is getting too busy for my liking. I'm such a bum :).

Comments

[fruitpunchy.livejournal.com]

The summer before college I scratched at my TB skin test, too, and they read it positive... it's the best thing that ever happened to me, since I like doing the XRays a whole lot more than the needle thing. I do *not* tolerate needles well.

[stevesbabygirl.livejournal.com]

I used to hate needles a lot too, but after dealing with the needles they use to donate blood, it's not so bad :).

[sparklingstar21.livejournal.com]

I don't have much time but I wanted to say hi and to comment on one thing. I was taught that once someone tests positive on a TB skin test, you NEVER do another TB skin test(whether they actually turn out to be + or not on the CXR). From that point on you would always use a CXR to test for TB. When do you start your externship? I started mine 2 weeks ago, but had to take this week off. Gotta go....I have broncho-pneumonia and I need to get myself back to bed! :(

[stevesbabygirl.livejournal.com]

I think I've heard that before too, actually. My first skin test was very on the fence. The nurse couldn't tell by looking at it, and the doctor had a really hard time making a determination too. I also got that one done at a health center before starting my last job, so my regular doctor doesn't have one on file for me. I will be starting my externship as soon as I get all this paperwork taken care of. Probably another week and a half or so, hopefully. I don't want to have to wait too long. How did your first weeks of yours go?

[sparklingstar21.livejournal.com]

Sounds like it wasn't a true positive, so that would be a possible reason for doing a skin test again. Did the nurse that did the test this time ask you if you've had a TB test before and if it was negative or positive? If they didn't, they should have.

My 1st 2 weeks were great. I learned a ton, but not so much that I was overwhelmed. I work for 4 doctors (peds) so it is always very busy, which I like. I hope to go back on Monday, but we'll have to see how I am doing. I am typing from D's laptop right now because I am not allowed to leave the couch or bed. Well the typing from the laptop blows, so I gotta go.

[stevesbabygirl.livejournal.com]

Yeah they really couldn't tell, so I think they erred on the side of caution. I did tell her about my previous test, and it either went over her head, or she realized that the postive might've been because I scratched it. I have a bandaid over it now to resist any temptation.

Is your externship for nursing?

[sparklingstar21.livejournal.com]

They didn't tell you not to put a bandaid over it??? Bandaid's can also cause a false positive. Before we give a TB test we give the pt a form to sign telling them things like do not cover with a bandaid, scratch the site, come back in 48-72 hrs to have the results read, etc. If your tests ends up being positive tell them that you had a bandaid over the injection site.

My internship is for a MA(medical assistant) course I am taking this semester. Basically I am learning how to do everything that is required to work in the clinical part of a doctor's office. The majority of doctors offices no longer employ actual nurses, most jobs in a doctors office are done by an MA. We room pts, draw blood, give injections, run ECG's, and tons of other things. It's really a lot of fun and I am really enjoying it. I plan to work as an MA while I go through nursing school.

[stevesbabygirl.livejournal.com]

Nope, they didn't say anything about a bandaid. I put a large one on, very loosely over the injection, so that it wasn't even close to touching the skin. Alas, it came back positive anyway, so I had to get the x-ray.

Ah, I knew it was one of the two, and I picked the wrong one :).