16 Indiana students given insulin during tuberculosis test
Sixteen students in the Lawrence Township (Ind.) district were mistakenly injected with insulin during a tuberculosis skin test Monday morning, district officials says.
The Indianapolis Star reports that the students, who attend the McKenzie Center for Innovation and Technology in Indianapolis, were administered a "small dosage" of insulin by personnel from Community Health Network, according to a statement from the school district.
Parents of all the students have been notified, and as a precaution, the students were taken to local hospitals for observation.
During a tuberculosis skin test, a subject receives a small injection of liquid — a protein derivative called tuberculin — in the lower part of their arm, creating a small, pale bump, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
A health care provider will check the bump after two or three days to look for a reaction at the injection site. If a reaction is present, additional testing will be needed to determine if that person has a latent tuberculosis infection or if they are infected.
District spokeswoman Dana Altemeyer says the students involved are part of the CNA/biomedical sciences program and are required to receive a tuberculosis test and a flu shot before participating in offsite clinical experiences.
The district released a statement about the incident on Facebook:
About the Author
Mike Kennedy
Senior Editor
Mike Kennedy has been writing about education for American School & University since 1999. He also has reported on schools and other topics for The Chicago Tribune, The Kansas City Star, The Kansas City Times and City News Bureau of Chicago. He is a graduate of Michigan State University.
