Safe Handling of Cytotoxic Drugs and Risks of Occupational Exposure to Nursing Staffs
Background: Inherent toxicity of cytotoxic drugs is the basis for their potential adverse risks from occupational exposure to the nursing staff. In Iran, chemotherapy regimens are prescribed and administered according to the world updated protocols. But little is done regarding the protective standa...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Research Center for Rational Use of Drugs (RCRUD)
2016-05-01
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| Series: | Journal of Pharmaceutical Care |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://jpc.tums.ac.ir/index.php/jpc/article/view/89 |
| _version_ | 1818206585139232768 |
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| author | Somayeh Hanafi Hassan Torkamandi Sahar Bagheri Maria Tavakoli Naser Hadav Mohammadreza Javadi |
| author_facet | Somayeh Hanafi Hassan Torkamandi Sahar Bagheri Maria Tavakoli Naser Hadav Mohammadreza Javadi |
| author_sort | Somayeh Hanafi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Inherent toxicity of cytotoxic drugs is the basis for their potential adverse risks from occupational exposure to the nursing staff. In Iran, chemotherapy regimens are prescribed and administered according to the world updated protocols. But little is done regarding the protective standards in this field.
Methods: An observational cross-sectional survey was conducted among nurses who work in three tertiary care teaching hospitals in Tehran, Iran in 2012. All participants worked in one of the hospital wards handling cytotoxic drugs (preparation and administration). A questionnaire was used for interviewing all subjects, and observing them preparing and administering the drugs. We examined all adverse effects associated with handling of antineoplastic drugs.
Results: Totally 270 adverse reactions were reported. The most frequently reported adverse effects included headache and vertigo (40 cases), hair loss (36 cases), skin rashes and itching (31 cases), and burning sensation in eyes (31 cases). In all hospital wards, the standards were met in not more than 50% of the items.
Conclusion: Monitoring the personnel who are directly involved in handling of cytotoxic drugs is of great importance. Furthermore, educating the personnel in the field of standards of cytotoxic drugs handling could increase the nursing staff’s knowledge regarding these drugs’ adverse reactions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T04:15:22Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-aedae7c265544f46a240da42d89b7f22 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2322-4630 2322-4509 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T04:15:22Z |
| publishDate | 2016-05-01 |
| publisher | Research Center for Rational Use of Drugs (RCRUD) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Pharmaceutical Care |
| spelling | doaj.art-aedae7c265544f46a240da42d89b7f222022-12-22T00:38:29ZengResearch Center for Rational Use of Drugs (RCRUD)Journal of Pharmaceutical Care2322-46302322-45092016-05-0131-273Safe Handling of Cytotoxic Drugs and Risks of Occupational Exposure to Nursing StaffsSomayeh Hanafi0Hassan Torkamandi1Sahar Bagheri2Maria Tavakoli3Naser Hadav4Mohammadreza Javadi5Pharmaceutical Care Department, Dr.Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.Pharmaceutical Care Department, Dr.Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.School of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.Clinical Pharmacy Department, School of Pharmacy, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.Rajaie Cardiovascular Medical and Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.Pharmaceutical Care Department, Dr.Shariati Hospital and Research Center for Rational Use of Drugs, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.Background: Inherent toxicity of cytotoxic drugs is the basis for their potential adverse risks from occupational exposure to the nursing staff. In Iran, chemotherapy regimens are prescribed and administered according to the world updated protocols. But little is done regarding the protective standards in this field. Methods: An observational cross-sectional survey was conducted among nurses who work in three tertiary care teaching hospitals in Tehran, Iran in 2012. All participants worked in one of the hospital wards handling cytotoxic drugs (preparation and administration). A questionnaire was used for interviewing all subjects, and observing them preparing and administering the drugs. We examined all adverse effects associated with handling of antineoplastic drugs. Results: Totally 270 adverse reactions were reported. The most frequently reported adverse effects included headache and vertigo (40 cases), hair loss (36 cases), skin rashes and itching (31 cases), and burning sensation in eyes (31 cases). In all hospital wards, the standards were met in not more than 50% of the items. Conclusion: Monitoring the personnel who are directly involved in handling of cytotoxic drugs is of great importance. Furthermore, educating the personnel in the field of standards of cytotoxic drugs handling could increase the nursing staff’s knowledge regarding these drugs’ adverse reactions.https://jpc.tums.ac.ir/index.php/jpc/article/view/89NursesChemotherapyNurses Chemotherapy |
| spellingShingle | Somayeh Hanafi Hassan Torkamandi Sahar Bagheri Maria Tavakoli Naser Hadav Mohammadreza Javadi Safe Handling of Cytotoxic Drugs and Risks of Occupational Exposure to Nursing Staffs Journal of Pharmaceutical Care Nurses Chemotherapy Nurses Chemotherapy |
| title | Safe Handling of Cytotoxic Drugs and Risks of Occupational Exposure to Nursing Staffs |
| title_full | Safe Handling of Cytotoxic Drugs and Risks of Occupational Exposure to Nursing Staffs |
| title_fullStr | Safe Handling of Cytotoxic Drugs and Risks of Occupational Exposure to Nursing Staffs |
| title_full_unstemmed | Safe Handling of Cytotoxic Drugs and Risks of Occupational Exposure to Nursing Staffs |
| title_short | Safe Handling of Cytotoxic Drugs and Risks of Occupational Exposure to Nursing Staffs |
| title_sort | safe handling of cytotoxic drugs and risks of occupational exposure to nursing staffs |
| topic | Nurses Chemotherapy Nurses Chemotherapy |
| url | https://jpc.tums.ac.ir/index.php/jpc/article/view/89 |
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