Selected aspects of allergy nursing

Abstract

Abstract Introduction. Due to their dynamic character, allergic conditions pose challenges for modern medicine and constitute a public health problem. Nearly 40% of the general Polish population is estimated to suffer from an allergy. We would like to emphasize that allergies are not some extraordinary ailments; instead, they commonly coincide with or are complications of other systemic conditions. Hence, national health policies should prioritize the development and implementation of ready-to-use protocols that focus mainly on prevention rather than treatment. Conclusions. In an outpatient setting the care for individuals who suffer from allergies is facilitated by therapeutic teams. Allergy nurses play a special role in this framework, with the scope of their professional duties including diagnostic procedures, treatment, being a mediator for patient education initiated by the therapeutic team. This article focuses on three important types of allergy nurses‘ responsibilities: diagnostic procedures (e.g. skin prick tests), therapeutic procedures (allergen-specific immunotherapy), and selected aspects of medical record-keeping.