What do you think of this?

salsa12 · May 24, 2010

Scary-I take it for granted certain chemo drugs are going to be bad, but what really scares me are the everyday chemicals we use without a second thought. The washless hand sanitizer that I use gives me pause-it is causing my skin to be in a constant state of breakdown and I get rashes all the time-not sure if the rashes are related to the cleaner, but it has certainly crossed my mind.

CuriousMe · May 24, 2010

Scary-I take it for granted certain chemo drugs are going to be bad, but what really scares me are the everyday chemicals we use without a second thought. The washless hand sanitizer that I use gives me pause-it is causing my skin to be in a constant state of breakdown and I get rashes all the time-not sure if the rashes are related to the cleaner, but it has certainly crossed my mind.

Have you considered that you just have a sensitivity to hand sanitizer?

salsa12 · May 24, 2010

Yes, it could just be a garden variety sensitivity but you never know for sure. A lot of information regarding chemicals at our work is not readily available. The point of the article was to make the info more accessible.

CuriousMe · May 24, 2010

Yes, it could just be a garden variety sensitivity but you never know for sure. A lot of information regarding chemicals at our work is not readily available. The point of the article was to make the info more accessible.

yup, I read the article and The Problem and The Solution.

But with hand sanitizer (most are alcohol based) I think it's an Occam's razor kind of thing....the simplest explanation is often the correct one.

salsa12 · May 24, 2010

Good point, thanks.

Pongoo · May 24, 2010

Most hand sainitizers are alcohol based. Use lotion to keep from drying out as much as you can put on. A good lotion. Some of the cheap ones have alcohol in as well, so be careful.

Also every chemical you use are in the MSDS. Required by law. Ask your supervisior where it is located so you can read up on everything you use. Will probably have to be done on your free time, but they must list it and provide you access just like any restuarant or factory.

MSDS is Material Safety Data Sheet, short form. Is a big book usually on a wall near break room.

carolinapooh, BSN, RN · May 24, 2010

At my hospital they still use (!!!!!) latex gloves - and therefore they tell us we "can't" use "unauthorized hand lotions" because they break the gloves down. The institutional hand cream is as good for your hands as the alcohol stuff is. I use the blue non-latex gloves and my own hand cream - a lot! - and I've noticed my hands have stopped peeling and cracking as much.

I'm sorry - but I'd think that my hands cracked to bits is a huge infection risk - for me and for my patient (and especially for me!!!).

Pongoo · May 24, 2010

Don't use lotion at work, but when off and after a shower ecspecially. I wouldn't think lotion and latex gloves would mix well either. :clown:

makes needs known · May 24, 2010

I was concerned about the floor strippers and waxers we used, so I contacted OSHA. The Smell from these chemicals was horrible. It burned our eyes and nasal passages. The staff would become sick and nauseated, not to mention how this was affecting the patients. Their doors were closed and old sheets were stuffed under the door to keep odors out. This protected the patients. OSHA contacted facility and they had to change the products to safer products.