Reducing the Risk of Chemotherapy Exposure

Concerns about antineoplastic drugs (ANPDs), also known as chemotherapy, began in the early 1970s by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Although ANPDs are used as a standard treatment for cancer, these drugs are considered hazardous due to their adverse health effects. About eight million healthcare workers are exposed to ANPDs and therefore essential that we continue to educate on ways to reduce the risk of exposure to occupational and home health hazards. The overall purpose of this study is to determine if additional education and use of surface wipe samplings reduce the risk of exposure. A literature review was conducted, and six articles were chosen to be analyzed for this study. Findings suggest that education targeting knowledge deficits relating to chemotherapy can be effective means to promote safe practices while decreasing the chance of occupational exposure. For instance, many nurses are unaware of the adverse health effects that are associated with exposure to ANPDs, the proper ways to protect themselves, and the extent of contaminates surfaces. Mandatory educational classes will be arranged allowing nurses to refresh their memory, learn new information, and stay updated on universal protocols. Info graphs containing key information about the safe practices of ANPDs will be in appropriate areas while trained staff will perform surface wipe samplings. A pre-test will be given as an assessment tool to determine pre-existing subject knowledge and a post- test to evaluate how much the nurse’s knowledge grew. A survey will be distributed to allow the nurses to rate the benefit of the classes and signage throughout the unit. If the combination of posttests, surveys, and surface wipe cleanliness improvements prove this intervention to be helpful in reducing risk of exposure, then we will implement this in a wider population. Keywords: chemotherapy, exposure, education, safe-handling, adverse health effect