What precautions should the nurse take when caring for a client with an allergy to latex?
Avoid touching, using, or being near latex-containing products. Avoid areas where latex is likely to be inhaled (for example, where powdered latex gloves are being used). Inform your employer and your personal healthcare professionals that you have latex allergy. Wear a medical alert bracelet.
How do nurses prevent a latex allergy?
Immediate latex allergy precautions include: Non sterile latex free examination gloves where exposure to blood or body fluids are anticipated should be worn to protect the staff member. Vinyl gloves should be worn for food service only. Sterile latex free gloves for sterile procedures.
What are latex precautions?
If you have latex allergy, consult your physician regarding the following precautions: Avoid contact with latex gloves and products. Avoid areas where you might inhale the powder from latex gloves worn by other workers. Tell your employer and health care providers (physicians, nurses, dentists, etc.)
What barrier options are available for the latex allergic patient?
What effective, latex-free options are available?
- Polyurethane condoms. These are made of thin plastic instead of rubber.
- Polyisoprene condoms. Made from synthetic rubber, these don’t contain the same proteins that cause an allergic reaction.
- Female condoms. This is the only option a woman can wear.
- Lambskin condoms.
Which precautions should be taken while examining a patient with a latex allergy?
Avoid contact with latex products. Wear a latex alert medical bracelet. Seek treatment for allergy. defined as areas in which non-latex products are used and latex proteins have been removed from the environment.
How do you care for a patient with a latex allergy?
Educate the patient to avoid products containing latex and carefully read product labels that might contain latex allergen. The nurse will teach and safeguard the patient from possible exposure to latex. This helps the patient recognize harmful products that may trigger an allergic reaction.
What is the nurse’s role in the management of patients with latex allergies?
The nurse will teach and safeguard the patient from possible exposure to latex. This helps the patient recognize harmful products that may trigger an allergic reaction. The nurse should screen the patient for known latex allergy response to ensure that the management plan is aligned with the type of reaction.
How do you prepare an operating room for a latex allergy?
A. Preparation of Operating Room
- Synthetic gloves must be used.
- Ideally latex sensitive patients should be scheduled first on the morning operating list.
- Furniture and equipment in the operating room must be washed down by staff wearing synthetic gloves to remove latex powder.
Which strategies can help minimize the risk of a latex reaction in a surgical patient?
Strategies to reduce exposures include the use of non-latex gloves when there is little potential for contact with infectious materials (e.g., food preparation or housekeeping) and the use of reduced latex protein, powder-free gloves when there is risk of contact with infectious materials.
How do you manage a patient with a latex allergy?
The best treatment for latex allergy is avoidance. If you have severe latex allergy reaction you should: Wear medical alert identification. Carry an epinephrine (adrenaline) auto-injector for emergency treatment.
How to protect yourself from latex allergy?
Appropriate barrier protection is necessary when handling infectious materials. If you choose latex gloves, use powder-free gloves with reduced protein content. Such gloves reduce exposures to latex protein and thus reduce the risk of latex allergy. So-called hypoallergenic latex gloves do not reduce the risk of latex allergy.
Who is notified when a patient with latex allergy is admitted?
When a patient with a known latex allergy is admitted to RCH relevant staff must be alerted to the patient’s latex allergy status. These include: Patients with latex allergy will be identified by Medical, Nursing, and Allied health teams via EPIC allergy alert. All other relevant staff are notified at a ward level.
What does a latex allergy nurse do?
The nurse will teach and safeguard the patient from possible exposure to latex. This helps the patient recognize harmful products that may trigger an allergic reaction. The nurse should screen the patient for known latex allergy response to ensure that the management plan is aligned with the type of reaction.
How do you document latex allergy on EMR?
Patients with a known latex allergy or a latex alert (high risk) should have this documented in the Allergies section of the EMR. Patients with a known latex allergy must have a Red identification (ID) band on admission, as per the Patient Identification Procedure.