Assess the Practice Regarding Safety Measures Used by Nurses while Handling Chemotherapy Drugs

Background: In a recent study of outpatient nurses, participants reported significant unintended skin and eye exposure to chemotherapy (Friese, et al., 2011). In this study, the author concludes that the overall rate of exposure decreases when nurses report adequate staffing and resources (2011). This implies that nurse-patient ratios and workplace demands contribute to the problem of mishandling chemotherapy. Therefore, these results implicate the need for adequate staffing and resources as well as increased staff compliance to established practice standards in order to better protect oncology nurses. Other contributing factors identified in system failures that result in an unsafe work environment include lack of awareness of personal and public risks of exposure, poor communication, and direct interruptions and/or distractions while preparing to administer medications (Ashley, et al., 2011).

Objectives: To assess the practice regarding safety measures used by nurses while handling chemotherapy drugs.

Method: In this Study the structured checklist was used to see the practice regarding safety measures used by nurses while handling chemotherapy drugs.

Result: Assessment of nurses practice while handling chemotherapy drug shows that Majority of samples 56 (56%) were having poor practice while handling chemotherapy drugs and 44% of nurses were having good practice while handling chemotherapy drugs, Maximum score was 6 and minimum score was 1.

Conclusion: After the detailed analysis, this study leads to the following conclusion that assessment of nurses' practice while handling chemotherapy drug. Majority of samples were having poor practice while handling chemotherapy drugs.