38 min
Episode 283: Desensitization Strategies to Reintroduce Treatment After an Infusion-Related Reaction The Oncology Nursing Podcast
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- Medicine
“Having a nurse-driven protocol, at my facility we call them clinical practice guidelines, allows for that immediate action and swift intervention for the patient,” Maura Price, MSN, RN, AOCNS®, oncology clinical nurse specialist at the Lehigh Valley Topper Cancer Institute in Bethlehem, PA, told Jaime Weimer, manager of oncology nursing practice at ONS, during a discussion about what oncology nurses should know about desensitization strategies.
You can earn free NCPD contact hours after listening to this episode and completing the evaluation linked below.
Music Credit: “Fireflies and Stardust” by Kevin MacLeod
Licensed under Creative Commons by Attribution 3.0
Earn 0.75 contact hours of nursing continuing professional development (NCPD), which may be applied to the nursing practice, oncologic emergencies, oncology nursing practice, symptom management, palliative care, supportive care, and treatment ILNA categories, listening to the full recording and completing an evaluation at myoutcomes.ons.org by October 27, 2025. The planners and faculty for this episode have no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose. ONS is accredited as a provider of NCPD by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. The planners and faculty for this episode have no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose. ONS is accredited as a provider of NCPD by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.
Learning outcome: The learner will report an increase in knowledge related to desensitization strategies after an infusion-related reaction.
Episode Notes
Complete this evaluation for free NCPD.
ONS Voice articles:
Nurses Have Immediate Access to Necessary Medications and Supplies With Hypersensitivity Reaction Kits
For Oxaliplatin Hypersensitivity Reactions, Prevention Is the Best Strategy, but Here’s How to Manage Them
Nurse Innovators Develop Processes to Combat Common Oncologic Emergencies
Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing articles:
Nursing Care of Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy Desensitization: Part I
Nursing Care of Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy Desensitization: Part II
ONS courses:
Fundamentals of Chemotherapy Immunotherapy Administration
Oncologic Emergencies
ONS Chemotherapy Huddle Card
Reaction grading systems:
Brown
https://www.brighamandwomens.org/Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE)
CTCAE Grading for Immune System Disorders
Immune Hypersensitivity Reaction Types I–IV (as described by Gell and Coombs)
Brigham and Women’s Drug Hypersensitivity and Desensitization Center
Dr. Castell’s Drug Desensitization Video
To discuss the information in this episode with other oncology nurses, visit the ONS Communities.
To find resources for creating an ONS Podcast Club in your chapter or nursing community, visit the ONS Podcast Library.
To provide feedback or otherwise reach ONS about the podcast, email pubONSVoice@ons.org.
Highlights From Today’s Episode
“An allergic reaction is kind of a more general term that’s used when someone has an allergy, whether that be to a medication, an environmental allergy. But an allergic reaction can really range in symptoms, anywhere from mild to severe. So, if a patient tells me ‘I’m allergic to amoxicillin’ or ‘I had an allergic reaction, when I take this drug,’ definitely ask them to elaborate.” TS 4:40
“Your assessment in grading is really going to be based on the symptoms that the patient is experiencing during the reaction. So, just personally knowing the CTCAE grading so well, this really helps us to identify those next steps for the patient. So, if the reaction was mild and more of a grade one or two, then we can consider rechallenging t
“Having a nurse-driven protocol, at my facility we call them clinical practice guidelines, allows for that immediate action and swift intervention for the patient,” Maura Price, MSN, RN, AOCNS®, oncology clinical nurse specialist at the Lehigh Valley Topper Cancer Institute in Bethlehem, PA, told Jaime Weimer, manager of oncology nursing practice at ONS, during a discussion about what oncology nurses should know about desensitization strategies.
You can earn free NCPD contact hours after listening to this episode and completing the evaluation linked below.
Music Credit: “Fireflies and Stardust” by Kevin MacLeod
Licensed under Creative Commons by Attribution 3.0
Earn 0.75 contact hours of nursing continuing professional development (NCPD), which may be applied to the nursing practice, oncologic emergencies, oncology nursing practice, symptom management, palliative care, supportive care, and treatment ILNA categories, listening to the full recording and completing an evaluation at myoutcomes.ons.org by October 27, 2025. The planners and faculty for this episode have no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose. ONS is accredited as a provider of NCPD by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. The planners and faculty for this episode have no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose. ONS is accredited as a provider of NCPD by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.
Learning outcome: The learner will report an increase in knowledge related to desensitization strategies after an infusion-related reaction.
Episode Notes
Complete this evaluation for free NCPD.
ONS Voice articles:
Nurses Have Immediate Access to Necessary Medications and Supplies With Hypersensitivity Reaction Kits
For Oxaliplatin Hypersensitivity Reactions, Prevention Is the Best Strategy, but Here’s How to Manage Them
Nurse Innovators Develop Processes to Combat Common Oncologic Emergencies
Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing articles:
Nursing Care of Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy Desensitization: Part I
Nursing Care of Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy Desensitization: Part II
ONS courses:
Fundamentals of Chemotherapy Immunotherapy Administration
Oncologic Emergencies
ONS Chemotherapy Huddle Card
Reaction grading systems:
Brown
https://www.brighamandwomens.org/Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE)
CTCAE Grading for Immune System Disorders
Immune Hypersensitivity Reaction Types I–IV (as described by Gell and Coombs)
Brigham and Women’s Drug Hypersensitivity and Desensitization Center
Dr. Castell’s Drug Desensitization Video
To discuss the information in this episode with other oncology nurses, visit the ONS Communities.
To find resources for creating an ONS Podcast Club in your chapter or nursing community, visit the ONS Podcast Library.
To provide feedback or otherwise reach ONS about the podcast, email pubONSVoice@ons.org.
Highlights From Today’s Episode
“An allergic reaction is kind of a more general term that’s used when someone has an allergy, whether that be to a medication, an environmental allergy. But an allergic reaction can really range in symptoms, anywhere from mild to severe. So, if a patient tells me ‘I’m allergic to amoxicillin’ or ‘I had an allergic reaction, when I take this drug,’ definitely ask them to elaborate.” TS 4:40
“Your assessment in grading is really going to be based on the symptoms that the patient is experiencing during the reaction. So, just personally knowing the CTCAE grading so well, this really helps us to identify those next steps for the patient. So, if the reaction was mild and more of a grade one or two, then we can consider rechallenging t
38 min