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Latex Allergy Patient Care |
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PATIENT CARE CONCERNS |
PREPARATION & CARE OF THE LATEX SENSITIVE PATIENT |
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All
patients should be assessed for latex allergy using various screening
questions such as: |
Remove all latex items from the patients
room (foam pillows, latex gloves, hot water bottles, rubber bands, face
masks, elastic bandages, and other elastic products. |
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1.
Have you ever had a
reaction to or been told by a physician that you have an allergy to any
latex or natural rubber product? |
Clean the surrounding with a hospital
approved tuberculocidal cleaner. |
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2.
Have you ever had
itching, swelling, hives or trouble breathing when you use latex or
rubber products? |
Use only flat sheets rather than fitted
sheets to make the bed or cover the bed mattress |
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3.
Have you ever had
itching swelling or hives after eating bananas, avocados, kiwi, or
chestnuts? |
Use sheets or blankets to prevent the
patient from coming into contact with the latex rubber in mattresses,
gurneys and chairs. |
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Remove the rubber stopper from vials before
drawing up medications |
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Use glass syringes or syringes marked
"latex-free" |
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Use rolled stockinet between the patient and
any rubber item such as blood pressure cuffs |
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Use plastic disposable blood pressure cuffs
as available from CS |
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If patient is leaving the room, alert other
departments regarding precautions to take |
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Maintain a latex-safe supply cart near the
entrance to the patient's room |
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Supply a high efficiency particulate air (HEPA)
filter for the patients room |
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Avoid allowing stethoscope tubing to contact
the patient |
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Use Silicone or non-latex Foley catheters |
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Use Non-latex tape instead of rubber bands |
