ONS Connect - August 2008 - (Page 29)

WORKINGFORYOU ONS Advocates for Safe Handling of Hazardous Drugs [By Paula t. Rieger, RN, MSN, AOCN ®, FAAN, ONS Chief Executive Officer] Paula T. Rieger, RN, MSN, AOCN®, FAAN dvocacy, one of the six ONS values, encompasses advocating for public policy, particularly in matters of health. To achieve this goal, it is important to have representation in agencies and organizations where decisions regarding nursing practice or patient care are made. Marty Polovich, MN, RN, AOCN®, an ONS member from Durham, NC, represents the Society at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). In the summer of 2000, NIOSH invited ONS to participate in a meeting with national and international experts about A Because nurses represent the largest occupational group potentially exposed to hazardous drugs, ONS has a vested interest and commitment to the working group’s goals. occupational chemotherapy exposure. The meeting concluded with a plan to form the Hazardous Drug Safe Handling Working Group. Because nurses represent the largest occupational group potentially exposed to hazardous drugs, oncology nursing expertise was needed in the working group. ONS has a vested interest and commitment to the group’s goals. Several important outcomes have resulted from that collaboration. • Criteria for and definition of hazardous drugs • Publication of NIOSH Alert: Preventing Occupational Exposures to Antineoplastic and Other Hazardous Drugs in Healthcare Settings • Publication of Medical Surveillance for Health Care Workers Exposed to Hazardous Drugs • Updated list of hazardous drugs • Chemotherapy glove standard (2005) in collaboration with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the American Society for Testing and Materials • Consensus about hazardous drug safehandling precautions among pharmacy and nursing organizations • Industry interest in safe handling • Change in package insert wording regarding necessary precautions for hazardous drugs • Recommendations for alternative duty during pregnancy (in progress) As a continuation of its work with NIOSH, ONS will participate in a Webbased healthcare worker survey aimed at members of participating professional and labor organizations who have potential exposure to targeted chemical agents. A random sample of ONS members who provide direct patient care will receive the survey in late 2008 or early 2009. ONS had the opportunity to contribute to the development of the data collection methods (an electronic survey to members of several organizations) and to review the content of the survey questions. The results of this survey will be important to all oncology healthcare workers, especially oncology nurses, pharmacists, and their managers. The excellent ONS chemotherapy education program and the ability of ONS to distribute electronic surveys to carefully selected membership categories enables ONS to be a leader in the stakeholder group relating to content and distribution of surveys to professionals. ✱ August 2008 ONS CONNECT 29

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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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