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Factors Influencing Nurses' Use of Hazardous Drug Safe-Handling Precautions
Amy Callahan1, Nancy J Ames2, Mary Lou Manning3
1Thomas Jefferson University Hospital.
Oncology Nursing Forum
|April 23, 2016
Summary
Oncology nurses have high knowledge of hazardous drug (HD) safety, but barriers to personal protective equipment (PPE) use and conflicts of interest may hinder safe handling precautions. Further research can inform institutional HD policies.
Area of Science:
- Oncology Nursing
- Occupational Health and Safety
- Clinical Research
Background:
- Hazardous drugs (HDs) pose risks to healthcare professionals, necessitating strict safe-handling precautions.
- Oncology nurses play a critical role in administering HDs and require robust safety protocols.
- Understanding factors influencing adherence to HD safe-handling is crucial for patient and staff safety.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify factors associated with oncology nurses' use of hazardous drug (HD) safe-handling precautions.
- To explore the relationship between knowledge, self-efficacy, barriers, and HD precaution use.
- To inform the development of effective institutional policies for HD handling.
Main Methods:
- A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted with 115 oncology nurses at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center.
- Online survey data were collected using the Hazardous Drug Handling Questionnaire.
- Descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis were employed to analyze the data.
Main Results:
- Nurses demonstrated high exposure knowledge, self-efficacy, perceived risk, interpersonal influences, and workplace safety climate.
- Moderate barriers to personal protective equipment (PPE) use and conflict of interest were reported.
- Total HD precaution use was highest during administration and lowest for handling excreta; average patients per day influenced overall precaution use.
Conclusions:
- Despite high knowledge, barriers to PPE use and conflict of interest may reduce the adoption of safe handling practices among oncology nurses.
- Unit-specific factors, including patient volume, influence adherence to HD precautions.
- Findings can inform institutional HD policies to enhance safety.
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