There is no question that nurses around the world care for their patients, Satcher said. This is an enormous health and economic problem. Specific to nurses, latex allergies, back injuries, violence in the workplace and needlesticks are epidemic. Following is a look at some of the information provided at the conference on the most pressing threats. One in 10 nurses develops a latex allergy due to repeated exposure to latex protein allergens found in powdered latex gloves.
Symptoms range from dermatitis and asthma to anaphylaxis.
Nurses need to educate themselves and their patients to prevent this debilitating allergy. Miller added that many health care workers who do know about latex allergy are in denial about it, as she was. Before I was diagnosed, I had hives from head to toe. I didn't want anyone to think I was an almost middle-aged nurse who couldn't cope, so I hid my allergy by wearing turtlenecks under my scrubs. Owens' study showed this method involves twisting while lifting, which leads to cumulative trauma back problems for nurses.