| Today, healthcare organizations are very much | | | | supervisors and managers are faced with |
| concerned about the growing health hazards of | | | | assigning alternative duties to these staffs, |
| workers working with hazardous drugs. The health | | | | irrespective of the stream in which they are |
| and safety of workers who handle toxic | | | | trained. When chemotherapy administration is an |
| substances are given higher priorities. However, | | | | exclusive service, such as in oncology infusion |
| there are some challenges to implement | | | | areas, providing fully cross-trained staff can be |
| preventive measures and comprehensive | | | | problematic. |
| programs for the protection of workers. Major | | | | Some healthcare workers are unaware of |
| obstacles that prevent progress are related to | | | | potential health effects associated with exposure |
| administrative issues, such as cost or staffing, | | | | to hazardous drugs and do not believe that they |
| while others are related to personnel's awareness, | | | | are at risk for problems related to these drug |
| experience, and compliance. This article presents a | | | | exposure. Many healthcare settings lack necessary |
| brief discussion on such barriers and issues. | | | | incentives to address a connection between |
| Precautionary measures such as personal | | | | occupational history and health history as medical |
| protective equipments (gowns, gloves, masks, | | | | staffs very rarely begin and end their career in |
| etc.) and safety devices (biological safety cabinets, | | | | the same healthcare organization. |
| closed system drug transfer devices, etc.) have | | | | Non-adherence to recommended precautions for |
| already been designed. But they costs so much | | | | safe handling of toxic substances is an important |
| that the funds required for implementing such | | | | cause of exposure. However, research work is |
| precautions are not available in most of the | | | | going on to determine whether non-adherence is |
| healthcare settings. While the issue of cost cannot | | | | related to lack of knowledge about the risks and |
| be ignored, it must be weighed against the | | | | recommended precautions, or lack of perceived |
| potential cost of a single negative health effect in | | | | effectiveness of the precautions. |
| a nurse or pharmacist. | | | | All these barriers are needed to be overcome |
| Recent surveys have found that most of the | | | | with the support of administration, pharmacy, and |
| healthcare sectors lack sufficiently prepared or | | | | nursing. Advent of good training sessions should |
| trained staffs. Inexperienced workers could not | | | | be made mandatory so that clinical staffs act as |
| handle the drugs and various systems properly | | | | role model towards safe handling of precautionary |
| and therefore, are responsible for exposure to | | | | measures and other safe monitoring processes |
| such medications during administration of patients. | | | | consistently. |
| Also due to lack of availability of medical staffs', | | | | |