Hospitals supplying latex free gloves

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I work in a small 80 bed community hospital. I have had a latex allergy for ~ 2 years. Severe enough that my entire body was one huge hive and it took 90mg of prednisone to cure and I took that dose for 6 months*. My hospital will put ONE box at the nurses station for me to use. It is against infection control for me to carry extra gloves in my pockets which I agree. However, I'm an aide. I'm everywhere. As most of you know, you never know when you will come into contact with fluids. Simply pulling up a pt in bed you can touch a wet allegra. It is also highly inconvient for me to be going to the nurses station everytime I need a pair of gloves. If I answer a call light and that pt needs the BSC NOW am I supposed to say "sorry, I have to walk 100 feet to get a pair of gloves"?

But it's no longer just me with a latex allergy. Several of my coworkers have developed one, not yet severe as mine. I know that the more we are exposed to it that the greater are chances are of having severe reactions. I spoke with them today and told them that I would look into the matter.

I need ideas. I am planning on going to management with a proposal. Not only will it benefit employees but it will also benefit patients. Does anyone know how much of an increase it is to supply latex free gloves? I've been doing internet research but I want reliable resources. I'm an aide so I don't have access to the prestigious journals that nurses do. I would love to hear from those who are in infection control and management.

The problem that I'm forseeing is that our census has been low and there have been budget concerns. How do I go about convincing management that this is a must? Please don't yell, but I have been wearing regular gloves. I know that this is dangerous but I'm not about to tell a pt to wait while I get latex free gloves. I have taken photos of my hands as a possible exhibit (already thinking like a lawyer, heh?). I also thought it was the law that an employer had to make sure that their employees were safe. But how far does this safety law go?

Sorry so long but any help would be greatly appreciated.

*Even though I went to the ER immediately after experiencing the first hive which came after my yearly TB test, it was determined not to be workman's comp and I had to pay out ~$700 for treatment. And I was out of work because the hives were in my ears, on my face, etc and I took the term awful looking to a new level. :angryfire

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Specializes in Med/Surg and Wound Care, PACU.

actually i do not know any hospital that uses latex gloves anymore, most of them changed already, because it is not only a danger to you it is also a danger to patients, a lot of people have a latex allergy

also your hospital has to protect you and your co-workers ,

i also do not think that latex free gloves are that much more expensive, i think it is about the same

good luck nici

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Specializes in ICU, CCU,Wound Care,LTC, Hospice, MDS.

I agree with nici1978. All the hospitals I have recently worked in have gone to latex free only. They also don't allow balloons in floral arrangements. Too many patients now have latex allergies, too!

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Specializes in Acute Care Cardiac, Education, Prof Practice.

My mother in law (who is a nurse of many years and now works managing a group of school nurses) said to me the other day (as I itched the odd new rash on my hand):

"Remind them how expensive treating anaphylactic shock can be after someone snaps a glove and someone else inhales the particles and drops to the floor."

We will see what Employee Health tells me about my hand this week.

Tait

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Specializes in Day Surgery, Agency, Cath Lab, LTC/Psych.

I developed a mild sensitivity to latex several years ago and since then have been very careful to limit my use of it. It is a fact that latex allergies can develop over years of exposure. Why put all the staff at risk by using latex gloves?? All of the places, except one, that I work agency for have latex-free gloves. The one exception carries latex and non-latex gloves and I am very careful to only use the latex free.

Your hospital is behind the times. I would be speaking with your department manager and risk manager.

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I know from working at one and family recently being admitted to the others that the hospitals near my home are not latex-free, and so far only one I've worked as a traveler was latex-free.

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My mother in law (who is a nurse of many years and now works managing a group of school nurses) said to me the other day (as I itched the odd new rash on my hand):

"Remind them how expensive treating anaphylactic shock can be after someone snaps a glove and someone else inhales the particles and drops to the floor."

We will see what Employee Health tells me about my hand this week.

Tait

Excellent point. I will be putting that in my report along with all the data I'm attempting to collect.

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Why not see if you can enlist the support of a local allergist. The one I saw is on a one-man crusade to get the local hospitals to go latex-free and while not successful yet, he has been quite the thorn in their sides.

Whenever one of their employees is seen by him and determined to have an allergy to latex, he goes as far as to order the person only be allowed to work a specific number of hours and days. One of my co-workers (who had a pretty severe reaction) was only allowed to work 8 hour shifts, and no more than 2 in a row with at least 2 consecutive days off in between. For me, he allowed my 12 hour shifts, but no more than 2 in a row and at least 3 days off.

After a number of the nurses on our floor came up allergic and were given similar restrictions, our manager threw up her hands and began ordering latex-free only for our unit.

This doc was a wealth of information on the topic. Maybe you can find one to help you put together a proposal for your facility?

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Do you live near a community college or a university? If they have a nursing school, I'd be willing to bet they subscribe to at least one nursing journal - or even AJN/American Nurse Today. A decent-sized public library might even surprise you and have one on hand. Some of the hospitals I did clinicals at had nursing journals in their libraries on site.

Just a suggestion; I know that adding current research to your proposal would help your position, and you really sound committed and very organized.

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Do you live near a community college or a university? If they have a nursing school, I'd be willing to bet they subscribe to at least one nursing journal - or even AJN/American Nurse Today. A decent-sized public library might even surprise you and have one on hand. Some of the hospitals I did clinicals at had nursing journals in their libraries on site.

Just a suggestion; I know that adding current research to your proposal would help your position, and you really sound committed and very organized.

Good idea. Most hospitals have a medical library employees can access.
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Do you live near a community college or a university? If they have a nursing school, I'd be willing to bet they subscribe to at least one nursing journal - or even AJN/American Nurse Today. A decent-sized public library might even surprise you and have one on hand. Some of the hospitals I did clinicals at had nursing journals in their libraries on site.

Just a suggestion; I know that adding current research to your proposal would help your position, and you really sound committed and very organized.

Great idea! I have to go to the library today anyway so I'll look that info up.

Emmanuel, the idea of speaking to an allergist is a wonderful idea too!

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Specializes in Emergency.
Why not see if you can enlist the support of a local allergist. The one I saw is on a one-man crusade to get the local hospitals to go latex-free and while not successful yet, he has been quite the thorn in their sides.

Whenever one of their employees is seen by him and determined to have an allergy to latex, he goes as far as to order the person only be allowed to work a specific number of hours and days. One of my co-workers (who had a pretty severe reaction) was only allowed to work 8 hour shifts, and no more than 2 in a row with at least 2 consecutive days off in between. For me, he allowed my 12 hour shifts, but no more than 2 in a row and at least 3 days off.

After a number of the nurses on our floor came up allergic and were given similar restrictions, our manager threw up her hands and began ordering latex-free only for our unit.

This doc was a wealth of information on the topic. Maybe you can find one to help you put together a proposal for your facility?

the problem with this approach is you could find yourself unemployed, depending on the state. See the recent post ref light duty for nurses and loss of jobs. All though it may work and most facilities I have worked have plans in place for staff that develop latex allergies. Sounds to me this place is putting their

head in the sand and hoping you will go away. Your best bet may be to talk to an attorney.

rj

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