You are NOT allergic to...

[BuckyBadgerRN, ASN, RN]

So we are switching to a new computer system at work. Not everything will carry over and we have to do some manual entry of certain things. Allergies is one of the items that falls onto that list. We are able to print out that info from the old system so we can put in onto the new, so the information has all been verified at some point by nursing staff or physicians. Which also means at one point it was all ENTERED by someone with a license or someone who is supposed to have enough medical knowledge to do such things.

Some of the "allergies" (complete with reaction, since it's a required field):

Nitroglycerin---"it makes my ears ring"

Tetnaus shot---"my arm hurts after I get one"

E-mycin---"diarrhea"

iron supplements---"makes my BM dark"

and my favorite:

Epinephrine---"makes my heart race"

Seriously?! I can shrug and say "meh" to many things, but truly?! WHY do trained professionals DO this? Go ahead and put some of these things down and attribute the poops after an ABX to a side effect, but not an ALLERGY. Yes, side effects, intolerances and allergies are all options to choose from.

I am not even entering the epinephrine "allergies", nope, not doing it.

OK, rant over

[CarryThatWeight, BSN]

So we are switching to a new computer system at work. Not everything will carry over and we have to do some manual entry of certain things. Allergies is one of the items that falls onto that list. We are able to print out that info from the old system so we can put in onto the new, so the information has all been verified at some point by nursing staff or physicians. Which also means at one point it was all ENTERED by someone with a license or someone who is supposed to have enough medical knowledge to do such things.

Some of the "allergies" (complete with reaction, since it's a required field):

Nitroglycerin---"it makes my ears ring"

Tetnaus shot---"my arm hurts after I get one"

E-mycin---"diarrhea"

iron supplements---"makes my BM dark"

and my favorite:

Epinephrine---"makes my heart race"

Seriously?! I can shrug and say "meh" to many things, but truly?! WHY do trained professionals DO this? Go ahead and put some of these things down and attribute the poops after an ABX to a side effect, but not an ALLERGY. Yes, side effects, intolerances and allergies are all options to choose from.

I am not even entering the epinephrine "allergies", nope, not doing it.

OK, rant over

I totally get it. I have the same frustration! Some of the things people put as allergies... Really?!?!

[Jensmom7, BSN, RN]

As an Infectious Disease doc told me many, many years ago: "If you don't break out in a rash or stop breathing, it ain't an allergy, it's a side effect!"

[Nurse Leigh]

Understand and agree and think a good solution might be an area where adverse effects can be entered. My mother had a dose of Vanco after a surgical procedure. She temporarily lost her hearing, and the best guess was that it was caused by the antibiotic. Not an allergy, but I think good to note nonetheless.

The system at my old job didn't have a place to enter this information.

Oh yeah, and maybe those nurses could start explaining why a rapid heartbeat after receiving Epi is NOT an allergic reaction.

[BecomingNursey]

Jesus. This drives me nuts! I had a patient today who told me he's allergic to aspirin. When I asked him what happens he said; "It makes my stomach hurt." Seriously? God bless America.

[Oceanpacific]

Good rant. First thing, it is terrible for nurses to be asked to manually enter this data; not a good use of their time and it also carries a high risk for data entry error.

I'm completely with you on the "allergy" situation. Everyone and their brother answers yes to the question about egg allergy before receiving influenza vaccine. The "allergy" is usually, "I don't like scrambled eggs." Then I have to define if further and say " Do you stop breathing after you eat eggs?"

One of my other favorites is. "My doctor told me 25 years ago not to ever let anyone give this to me again". Other than that little tidbit, there is nothing specific.

Then there is "I'm allergic to aspirin, acetaminophen, ibuprofen and naproxen. The one I can take starts with o-x-y or was it h-y-d-r-o?"

[Anna Flaxis, BSN, RN]

I don't care.

Honestly, what skin off my nose is it?

Most people have the understanding of their body of a 12 year old. If I let people being misinformed bug me, I'd be a pretty miserable person.

[BuckyBadgerRN, ASN, RN]

And somewhere, someone will enter that into the chart as an "allergy". It's a little embarrassing...

Jesus. This drives me nuts! I had a patient today who told me he's allergic to aspirin. When I asked him what happens he said; "It makes my stomach hurt." Seriously? God bless America.

[BuckyBadgerRN, ASN, RN]

It's not the patient's lack of understanding that is irritating. It's the fact that a NURSE (or someone with the authority to take a medical history) enters these things into the legal document that is a medical record. Did you read the initial rant?

I don't care.

Honestly, what skin off my nose is it?

Most people have the understanding of their body of a 12 year old. If I let people being misinformed bug me, I'd be a pretty miserable person.

[dirtyhippiegirl, BSN, RN]

Some of the clinic staff have been entering stuff like pollen and mold in the allergy field. I always delete it and mark that the patient has seasonal allergies instead. Durrr.

[sallyrnrrt, ADN, RN]

Amen sister/brother

[DowntheRiver]

I saw an epi "allergy" recently as well. The reaction also stated that it caused her heart to race. (eye roll)

Also, I'm sensitive to iodine but I don't say that I have an allergy to iodine because, naturally, I would be dead then. I have a reaction to seafood, shellfish, topical iodine, and contrast dye. I've recently been told that it is something in all these things that I am truly allergic to. Any thoughts?