Anyone ever have a pt allergic to alcohol wipes?

[RNforLongTime]

Seriously......a pt I took care of last night informed me that she is highly allergic to the smell of them? OK, sure. She tells me this the SECOND time I come near her with one to wipe the port off of the IV tubing to give her pain med. Earlier, like 3 hrs earlier, I gave her sliding scale coverage and swiped the injection site with an alcohol pad and it didn't phase her one bit.

Pt explains that she has seizures and stops breathing if exposed to one. Ok hun. I ask the nurse who took care of her on day shift about this during report and she told me that she too swiped her skin with an alcohol pad and the pt didn't say a thing.

Now, I've been an RN for 11 yrs, at four different hospitals in two different states and this is the FIRST time I've come across a pt with an allergy to alcohol pads. Anyone else?

[KLKRN, RN]

In home health, if a patient was going to do a fingerstick, or we were going to do it, we had the patients just wash hands with soap and water first. We always used antibacterial handwash ourselves before any procedure. Some contain little or no alcohol.

There is no getting the area sterile, either at home or in the nursing unit. I'm not suggesting we stop using alcohol wipes at all, but for patients who have sensitivities, a suitable substitute should be available.

[ERRNTraveler, RN]

i have had several, not many but at least 4-5 that required the use of betadine wipes

it is not much trouble to substitute one for the other...never hurts to listen to your patient

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Problem with using betadine wipes is that where I work, it's a cheap facility and we don't HAVE betadine wipes!!!! Only bottles of the stuff. So, yes, where I work it IS a problem if you don't have any alternative. We don't even use cholrhexidine gluconate either....its too expensive so they won't buy it....best practices be darned!! Yet another reason that I LOATHE where I work.

Pt didn't have any LOCAL reaction, ie, no redness, swelling, or anything like that. And it just seemed to me that she was a bit overly sensitive to the smell of the alcohol wipe. As I stated in my first post, the patient NEVER said a word to me the FIRST time I used an alcohol wipe on her skin. Her chart listed an allergy to alcohol, which I took to mean that she was allergic to alcohol that's found in booze, NOT rubbing alcohol.

Just dab some betadine from a bottle onto a 2x2.....

[Virgo_RN, BSN, RN]

A large number of patients do not understand what a true allergy is. For example, I have seen an allergy to lisinopril listed in a patient's chart, and the allergic reaction listed as "cough". A dry cough is a common side effect of ace inhibitors, not an allergic reaction. This would be more of an "intolerance".

If a patient tells you that they have an allergy to alcohol wipes, ask them what happens. It may be an intolerance and not a true allergy. This could be an opportunity to educate the patient, though I'd still respect their intolerance by using an alternative.

[Ms.RN]

i have a lady who has anaphylatic reaction to peppermint. so i guess that means i cant eat peppermint candy in front of her. :hhmth:

[RNforLongTime]

Just dab some betadine from a bottle onto a 2x2.....

That would be fine if we even had 2x2's!

[RNforLongTime]

A large number of patients do not understand what a true allergy is. For example, I have seen an allergy to lisinopril listed in a patient's chart, and the allergic reaction listed as "cough". A dry cough is a common side effect of ace inhibitors, not an allergic reaction. This would be more of an "intolerance".

If a patient tells you that they have an allergy to alcohol wipes, ask them what happens. It may be an intolerance and not a true allergy. This could be an opportunity to educate the patient, though I'd still respect their intolerance by using an alternative.

Pt told me that she had seizures from alcohol pads......mmmm, ok then so WHY did the alcohol pad that I used to swipe your arm THREE hours ago not even bother you in the least. Same thing with the previous shift nurse before me.

I took the alcohol allergy to mean that she was allergic to alcohol found in beverages NOT in an average, use it all the time alcohol wipe. :icon_roll

[Burnt Out, ASN, RN]

I've never had a patient with an allergy to alcohol preps.

[ERRNTraveler, RN]

That would be fine if we even had 2x2's!

You work in a hospital that has NO gauze???? What do you dress wounds with- toilet paper????

[socialworker]

I have a sensitivity to alcohol preps following chemo (but still react after five years) with a red rash, bumps, itching, etc. but my oncologist says alcohol preps don't have the right molecular structure to cause a reaction. I don't believe him, since I am experiencing another rash right now after being "swabbed" down with a prep for a tetorifice booster. I usually request betadine, without any problems (other than nurses being able to find betadine). I was searching the web and found this string but thought I would post since it seems few people have an allergy or it's recognized as an allergy.

[fall-creek]

My daughter had routine blood work done on Monday and the following day developed a rash of eczematous contact dermatitis. Rash size was 5" x 4". Took her to her pediatrician to confirm the diagnosis. Today is the 4th day after contact and it is still inflamed with raised bumps. Now we check with an allergist to determine the extent of her alcohol allergy. I understand an allergy of this type is rare. (?)

[annaith]

i am acutally allergic to rubbing alcohol of ALL TYPES this is a real allergy!

when exposed i get hives a very high fever and if the reaction is bad enough sometimes shock. now dont get me wrong alot of people out there just want attention but that one time you might not listen to a person just might be the time you kill someone!

[Up2nogood RN, RN]

Yes I've taken care of a pt that was like the boy in the bubble. She was allergic to alcohol, we could use wipes to clean the iv port as long as they didn't touch her skin. She had documentation from several specialists that she brought. Also had allergies to almost all preservatives put in drugs (+drugs and foods w preservatives) so everything had to be mixed specially by the pharmacist. Total isolation complete with mask and hairnets as the slightest smell would set off an asthma attack. It was a long 3 nights with this pt!

It's hard as a medical professional to take someone for their word when there are so many pts that cry sheep so often but we just went with what she said as one would never want to take that chance.