Can I read my friend's ppd test?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

My friend had her ppd done by her school but was unable to get there to have it read so they told her to have an RN or her doctor read it. Of course, she thought of me since I just became licensed as an RN in March and she asked me if I could read it and document it on her form. I told her I didn't feel comfortable doing it since I didn't administer it myself or see it done to make sure it was properly done. Was that irrational of me? I just worked so hard for my license and I'm so new that I don't know what my limits are and I didn't want to risk it whatsoever. Please give me any input :)

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Specializes in ER, Trauma.

Good judgement on your part. It's not as obvious as it looks. You measure the area of "induration" not the are of redness. Took a course on it in Maine to get certified, but states vary. Nurses always want to help, knowing when not to is hard. IMHO

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Specializes in Mental Health.

Yep, I do believe you are fully within' your scope as an RN to have done it. But if you didn't feel comfortable, no biggie.

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Specializes in home health, dialysis, others.

Are you sure you even know how to read it? They are frequently read by a different person than the one who administered it, so that should not be an issue. Call around to local med-checks and ER's, see if someone will read it for free.

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Thanks for all the input. I was mostly uncomfortable with doing it because I just got licensed and have yet to find employment so I really wasn't sure if this was something that I was allowed to do. I know that I would have been comfortable doing it if I was working for the facility that gave it. This was the first time I was asked to use my name and license for a document so it definitely intimidated me.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.

In my state, you must be certified to read it. You were correct in declining the offer.

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Specializes in chemical dependency detox/psych.

Interesting...I didn't know that in other states you had to be specially certified to read a PPD. In my state, any RN can read a PPD (I administer and read PPDs daily,) so I would have read it. I like mamerlee's suggestion.

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

Have you been trained to interpret those results? I've been an RN for years, but have never received that training. So, I would not feel comfortable doing it.

Would your "independent practice of nursing" be covered by ? What risks would you be taking? What if there was later found to be a problem with your interpretation?

I think you did the right thing. I am an experienced nurse and would not have done it -- because I have received no education on that particular skill, have no experience interpreting the results of those tests, and would not be working under the protection of an employer's legal and financial coverage. (though I do carry my own malpractice insurance, of course). I wouldn't do it. I would protect myself.

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Being an RN does not necessarily qualify you to read a PPD result, both hospitals I worked at required a certified person to do it, not just a coworker. I think you were correct to decline :).

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Specializes in Peds, education.

May I ask what states you all are in that require special certification to read a PPD? I worked at a pediatric clinic where we read and administered PPDs daily. I learned how to read them in school. I live in Alabama.

However I completely understand and agree you should not do anything you are not comfortable with.

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Specializes in Critical Care/Coronary Care Unit,.

we read ppd tests at my hospital all the time and more than likely it's a different person reading it than the one who administered it. however, if you don't know how to interpret the ppd...i wouldn't suggest you do it. however, if you do it...you are fully within your scope of practice to do it.

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It's very rarely the person who administered the test who reads it here. That would be a bureaucratic nightmare.

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