latex sensitivity

smiling_ru · Oct 2, 2003

I am allergic to latex (IgE mediated). I am very careful, about what I touch and washing my hands frequently.(Just in case).

I have not had a problem in the OR yet!!! Hopefully it will stay that way. For me though it takes sustained contact (over 10 minutes) before I have a reaction. If there is mucous membrane contact or if my skin is wet the reaction is immediate. I have not had an airborne reaction in over 4 years ( I attribute that to the lower protein latex gloves and the decreased use of powder)

So, all I really have to do is wear my non-latex gloves, wash my hands in case I inadvertantly touched latex, and keep my hands away from my eyes, nose and mouth until after they are washed. This has been working for a long time, assuming you are not more sensetive to it, there should not be a problem as long as you are careful.

CRHSrn · Oct 3, 2003

SMILING_RU

i don't know if i'm MORE sensitive than you or not but, 1) i had a friend of mine inadvertently touch my neck a couple of years ago and my neck immediately broke out with a whelp. 2) my first day on my new job here in texas i mistakenly grabbed latex gloves to help a co-worker pull a patient up in bed (they were on less than 3 mins) and by the time i got them off my hands were itching and a few hours later i had the lesions that were oozing and bleeding, that was 5 weeks ago and i still have them by the way. so i'm a concerned about the OR. does anyone else have any input ???

Ruby Vee, BSN · Oct 3, 2003

I've heard that Oregon Health Sciences has a totally latex-free hospital. Could this be true? Are there others?

lifeisbeautiful · Nov 20, 2004

I believe that the Mayo Clinic in Rochester Minnesota is.

Pete495 · Nov 20, 2004

Most hospitals claim to be latex free, but aren't fully latex free. when you think about it, there is latex in a lot of things, such as some of the vials you pull medication out of (i.e.diprivan i think). I'm not sure about the central lines anymore. I assume they are latex free, but maybe one of the CRNA's can let you know if they are really latex free?

SproutRN · Nov 20, 2004

I too have a latex sensitivity as well as frequent contact dermatitis on my hands from soaps and now possibly PVC gloves. For the most part, my hospital OR is latex free. The gloves in the anesthesia carts are non-latex and the circulating RN's have nitrile gloves. In the holding room and PACU there are boxes of latex, non-latex, and nitrile gloves available. When patients come down for procedures with latex allergies, signs are put up on the OR suite door and other extra precautions are taken.

I learned last week to always take my preference for gloves with me when I go to "off-site" locations because some still only have latex gloves. Seems like this day and age most areas would be latex free??

Sprout :nurse:

TennRN2004 · Nov 21, 2004

SMILING_RU
i don't know if i'm MORE sensitive than you or not but, 1) i had a friend of mine inadvertently touch my neck a couple of years ago and my neck immediately broke out with a whelp. 2) my first day on my new job here in texas i mistakenly grabbed latex gloves to help a co-worker pull a patient up in bed (they were on less than 3 mins) and by the time i got them off my hands were itching and a few hours later i had the lesions that were oozing and bleeding, that was 5 weeks ago and i still have them by the way. so i'm a concerned about the OR. does anyone else have any input ???

I think it sounds like you are very sensitive and need to stay away from latex all together. If you react that quickly to latex, I would avoid it becase each exposure makes the risk of anaphylatic reaction more likely, but you know this : ) . My suggestion would be to contact the schools you are interested in, see where you'll have clinical sites at and find out about the latex issue. I would ask someone in the OR what latex you would be possibly exposed to?, do any other OR workers have latex allergy/how is it handled?, patients who have latex allergy?. I know that sounds like a lot of trouble, but you can't be too careful about latex. Also, check out the entire facility. As someone else said, sometimes the OR and the floors are two different worlds. You need to be catious about latex everywhere you go in the hospital, not just the OR. One of my coworkers have a severe allergy and had to retire from nursing for 4 years bc of latex. She has it so bad now she can start wheezing and she knows something latex is near and has to get away fast.