Eight million healthcare workers are exposed to hazardous drugs every year, Mikaela M. Olson, MS, RN, AOCNS Oncology and Hematology Clinical Nurse Specialist said. Many of these drugs are inescapable, and have unknown risks to healthcare workers.
Saturday, April 20, was National Safe Handling Awareness Day and National Safe Handing Awareness Month continues through the end of April. In recognition of National Safe Handing Awareness Month, BD Medical hosted two webinars Wednesday, April 17, 2013, to call attention to the dangers associated with exposure to hazardous drugs, as well as standards and safety measures to help prevent occupational exposure
“Hazardous Drug Exposure: Case-Based Approach to Minimizing Occupational Risks” examined and analyzed case specific incidents of healthcare workers who handled hazardous drugs and explores methods to help protect healthcare employees. Speakers, Byron G. Peters, RPh, Director, Washington University Cancer Center Pharmacy and Olson, stress the importance of future evaluation of hazardous drugs, proper handing and labeling of these drugs, and risk assessment tools to protect employees from unnecessary exposure.
Currently, federal and state laws governing exposure to the over 150 hazardous drugs on the market are limited and in many cases insufficient. BD Medical and the speakers, emphasize the importance of awareness and action, as research has demonstrated that exposure to these drugs can result in a broad spectrum of adverse health conditions ranging from mild skin irritations and allergic reactions, to infertility, leukemia and other forms of cancer.
OSHA, NIOSH and the Oncology Nursing Society offer some guidelines for appropriate handing and labeling of hazardous drugs. Because hazardous drugs offer so many different methods for exposure Olson and Peters stress more training, proper PPE, as well as improvements in PPE, and further drug assessments to help protect healthcare workers from exposure.
For more information about the case studies and PPE tips from Olson and Peters, the webinar will be available on demand in two weeks.