ONS Connect - August 2008 - (Page 15)

[One nURSe’S PeRSPeCtiVe] What Are Your Concerns Regarding Safe Handling of Chemotherapy? Seth Eisenberg, RN, OCN® Seth Eisenberg, RN, OCN ®, is the professional practice coordinator for infusion services at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance ambulatory clinic in Washington. y concerns are global. Despite having information readily available, some nurses do not follow established guidelines for safe handling. Institutions are not always willing to provide the equipment necessary for chemotherapy administration or the required training. Misconceptions still exist about the risk of exposure to nurses and coworkers, as typified by comments such as, “I’ve done it this way for 20 years and I’m still fine.” Another concern is for small offices and rural hospitals that may not have the resources, such as biologic safety cabinets, or have sufficient staff to provide education that occurs in larger cancer centers. Furthermore, mandating safe-handling guidelines is difficult because no regulatory agencies exist to enforce them. As the ONS Chemotherapy Special Interest Group (SIG) coordinator ex officio, I try to provide consistent, evidence-based information to oncology and nononcology nurses regarding M the implications of improper handling of chemotherapy by responding to questions and utilizing the ONS SIGs Virtual Community. I also reach nurses when presenting at national conferences, where I discuss real-life situations and assist in problem solving. Furthermore, I continue to develop and implement chemotherapy-based competencies for our ambulatory clinic, which includes annual hands-on spill training. Because administering chemotherapy is part of my job, I get to “practice what I preach.” Our facility has the necessary policies, education, and equipment to ensure that staff who handle chemotherapy are protected. We follow Joint Commission and ONS guidelines with some minor modifications. I strongly believe that any nurse who administers chemotherapy should have appropriate safe-handling education, whether through an ONS Chemotherapy and Biotherapy course or an equivalent evidence-based class. Employers should make education a top priority. I also encourage nurses to advocate on their own behalf to receive the proper training and the necessary tools. We wouldn’t expect our physician colleagues to perform surgery without the requisite equipment and education. Why should it be acceptable for oncology nurses? ✱ August 2008 ONS CONNECT 15

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ONS Connect - August 2008 Contents Editor's Note Just In Safe Handling of Chemotherapy A Year in the Life—Month Eight Put Evidence Into Practice to Manage Dyspnea Web Connect Capitol Connection Notice Nursing Now Caregiver Care KRAS Status Predicts Response to Cetuximab for Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Calendar of Events Working for You Staying on Top

ONS Connect - August 2008

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