Transcript Document
TB Talk – New England
BBQ Chips and Rush Limbaugh Challenges of Building Rapport
Adriene Whitaker, RN, BSN, MPH
Maine CDC
September 23, 2009
Patient History
• 48 y/o African-American male
• Self referred to EtOH detox center
• Detox center: TSTs for all new patients
upon admission
• TST planted 4/27: cough, night sweats,
fever, nebs given q4
• TST read 4/29: 22mm
ER
Hospital Admission
• Admitted 4-29-09
• CXR: LUL cavitary lesion
• Placed in airborne infection isolation
room
• Induced sputum: smear+, DNA probe+,
culture+, pan-sensitive
• Started 4-drug therapy 5-1-09
Medical History
Every physician interview’s results were different
Knowns
• Diabetes mellitus
• HTN
• HIV status
Unknowns
• Surgical history?
• Symptom onset?
Social History
Knowns
• EtOH abuse (currently
detoxing)
• Currently unemployed
• Smoker
• Family out of state
• Navy 6 years,
currently on disability
Unknowns
•
•
•
•
•
IV drug use?
Drug abuse?
Travel history?
Work history?
Current housing?
Patient Interviewing
• Unable to ask any follow-up questions
• “You already asked that question. I’m not going to
repeat myself.”
• “Why do you need to know that?”
•
•
•
•
No names of close contacts
Time intervals inconsistent
Social history inconsistent
Anxiety over isolation, financial,
privacy
Initial Patient Interview
“I am a very educated man and if I’ve been
able to do my diabetes medications on my
own I am sure I can do the TB medications
on my own without you. On your way out,
would you mind getting me some BBQ chips
downstairs in the cafeteria? I’d do it myself
but they won’t let me out of here.”
What approaches would
you take in this challenging
situation?
Game Plan
1. Perceptive observation: what makes
them tick, what do they need?
2. Reinforce the good, remedy the bad
3. Trust — Consistently follow through
on deliverables
Example: Ego
• Observation: Repeated references to
being an “educated man,” trying hard
to be in control of the flow of
information, “fetch me some chips”
• Got technical in talking about TB
• Gentle in trying to extract information
• Brought chips
Ego: After Discharge
• Continued to praise knowledge
• Started listening to talk radio,
reinforced worldview, built rapport
• Tolerant of arbitrary changes to DOT
times, incentive days, etc.
Example: Anxiety
• Observation: Detoxing, unable to
smoke, fear of TB stigma, out of work
(can’t pay bills, can’t get new work in
isolation)
• Assured of privacy
• TB Control assists with medical bills
• Nicotine inhaler, anti-anxiety medication
• Promised incentives/enablers
Anxiety: After Discharge
• Delivered on incentives/enablers
• Elaborate PAPR protocol (privacy)
• Physician’s note for school to help
obtain tuition reimbursement
• Continued TB education
• Provided timelines
Other Observations
• Hat collection
• New England sports
• Common travel locations
– taking trip to his original hometown
• Working out
• Politics
• Social activities
Trust
• Successful treatment depends heavily
on voluntary compliance
• Show up when you say
• Do what you say you’ll do
• Validate feelings
– Compassion
• Be respectful/nonjudgmental
– Leave prejudices at the door
Contact Investigation
• Patient requested PHN NOT test anyone in
his residence
• Patient poor historian in identifying close
contacts
• Difficult to identify high/med/low contacts
• First priority always patient treatment
Where do we go from here?
Contact Investigation
• Supervisor TST tested co-residents to avoid
associating primary PHN with TB
• Relied on key informants:
• Former landlord
• Current landlord
• Contacts
• Former employer
• Detox Center
Contacts Identified
• Former Residence (last resided 8/08)
• 4 contacts identified:
– 2 negatives
– 1 Prior positive
– 1 Reactor
• Current Residence (8/08 to present)
• 60 Residents identified
– 20 Baseline TST
– 11 Post Exposure TST
» 1 Converter
» 3 Reactors
» 1 Prior positive
Contact Identified Cont.
• Former Employer
• 1 Contact
• 1 negative
• Detox Center Roommates
•
•
•
•
7 contacts
1 previous positive
4 Baseline TSTs
2 post exposure TSTs
» No Reactors
» No Converters
• Detox Center Staff
•
•
•
•
26 contacts
2 previous positives, 1 Hx of allergic reaction to PPD
21 baseline TSTs
17 post exposures
» 1 Converter
Outreach To Contacts
• Landlord forbid on-site TST testing at
residence
• Contact letters sent to last listed
address
• Contact letters to homeless shelters
• Reviewed contact list with homeless
providers and Health Care for the
Homeless
Conclusion
• Perceptive observation
– Think about what makes them tick
– Insights/picking up details can be
invaluable in contact investigation
• Trust
– Follow through
– Be reliable
– Have compassion