Biosafety Measures in Chemotherapy Administration: Nurses’ Knowledge

Abstract

Introduction: Occupational exposure to the cytotoxic properties of chemotherapy entails risks to professionals’ health and may cause acute or chronic changes arising from the long-term handling of antineoplastic agents. Objective: To identify the nurses’ knowledge of the biosecurity measures for administering chemotherapy. Method: Cross-sectional descriptive study with nurses at a general hospital. The data were collected through a self-applied questionnaire and the data were analyzed using measures of central tendency, dispersion, and correlation. Results: Thirty nurses were enrolled in this study and 23 reported they had never received training on working with chemotherapy drugs. The average score of the subjects was 27.6 out of a possible 37 points. Conclusion: The nurses of the institution investigated have partially adequate knowledge of biosafety recommendations. Identifying gaps in knowledge can guide the development of protocols and training programs, a fundamental aspect, given the high number of cancer patients admitted to medical units in general hospitals.