Cal. Code Regs. Tit. 8, div. 1, ch. 4, subch. 7, grp. 16, art. 109, app F
This appendix contains sample criteria to be used by non-medical employees for screening purposes in settings where no health care providers are available. Coordination with local health departments, including TB control programs, may be necessary for the success of this referral policy. Employees should be instructed in how clients' privacy will be maintained during screening procedures.
1. For screening a coughing client with potential TB -- privately ask the person
a. if he/she has had a cough for more than three weeks.
b. if, in addition to cough, he/she has had one or more of the following clinical symptoms of TB disease:
* Unexplained weight loss ( >5lbs)
* Night Sweats
* Fever
* Chronic Fatigue/Malaise
* Coughing up blood
A person who has had a cough for more than three weeks and who has one of the other symptoms in b. must be referred to a health care provider for further evaluation, unless that person is already under treatment. Consider referring a person with any of the above symptoms, if there is no alternative explanation.
2. In addition to TB, other vaccine preventable aerosol transmissible diseases, including pertussis, measles, mumps, rubella ("German measles") and chicken pox should be considered when non-medical personnel screen individuals in non-health care facilities. The following is a brief list of some findings that should prompt referral to a health care provider for further evaluation when identified through a screening process:
* Severe coughing spasms, especially if persistent; coughing fits may interfere with eating, drinking and breathing
* Fever, headache, muscle aches, tiredness, poor appetite followed by painful, swollen salivary glands, one side or both sides of face under jaw
* Fever, chills, cough, runny nose, watery eyes associated with onset of an unexplained rash (diffuse rash or blister-type skin rash)
* Fever, headache, stiff neck, possibly mental status changes
3. Any client who exhibits any of the above described findings and reports contact with individuals known to have any of these transmissible illnesses in the past 2-4 weeks should be promptly evaluated by a health care provider.
4. Health officials may issue alerts for community outbreaks of other diseases. They will provide screening criteria, and people must be referred to medical providers as recommended by the health officer.
Cal. Code Regs. Tit. 8, div. 1, ch. 4, subch. 7, grp. 16, art. 109, app F