Any ideas on chemotherapy/radiation exposure on RNs wanting to be pregnant? Is it risky?

[NurseBabe1841]

Good morning everyone! :) Hope you all are having a great day. I'm starting a new job in September as an Infusion therapy nurse, so I'll be working at an infusion center outpatient cancer center. After a year in medsurge I decided I wanted to find my niche and specialty I can enjoy and focus on! I have done a lot of research and after taking my chemo course, I have some concerns.

Is it possible to be infertile later on in life after being exposed to chemotherapy and radiation so much as an RN who is administering these drugs to cancer patients? I am only 24 and plan to have babies in 4-5 years. I am a fairly healthy person, no issues with my health, no cancer family history, etc . I am concerned because I heard it destroys your eggs and have heard many things Any nurses working this position for a while and haven't had any problems conceiving? Advice would appreciated :)

Another concern, is it possible to get cancer later on in life also after being exposed to these agents? How much do nurses really get exposed if we properly use protective equipment? This field sounds exciting and beneficial to me, but I would have a clear head whether I decide to stay with it long term or not having to hear it from nurses who actually do this job. Thank you to all the nursing family

[Triddin]

For any staff working around radiation on a regular basis, they will be issued a monitor which they wear at the chest/ abdo level which is checked frequently to ensure you haven't been exposed to too much radiation. Depending on the type or radiation/ exposure required, you might also wear protective lead.

For Chemo drugs, you adhere to cytotoxic precautions.

Some employers may exempt you from working with certain drugs/ radiation once you are pregnant, but You would have to confirm with your employer

[Buckeye.nurse]

Here's a short video from the Oncology nurses society that outlines what is known about hazardous drugs and reproductive health. There is a reference list at the end of the video if you want to do more research. Knowledge is power. :)

https://www.ons.org/sites/default/files/Nurses_Chemo_Pregnancy_What_Do_We_Know.mp4

Edited because I haven't had my coffee yet, and made a typing error.

[Daisy4RN]

I would be extremely careful if you chose this type of position. I worked inpatient oncology and the nurses who were either pregnant or trying to get pregnant never had radiation patients or gave chemo because of the risks. If you work in an infusion clinic that is mostly what you will be doing, giving chemo. There was a study done at that time that showed chemo in the nurses systems that administered the chemo despite all the ppe.

[blondy2061h, MSN, RN]

Patients having external beam radiation (traditional radiation) are not radioactive so there is no risk to you, you future babies, or anyone else to being around them.

If you follow proper PPE while giving chemotherapy and are using modern closed systems the risk of exposure is minimal. In an infusion center it's not possible nor fair to expect to avoid all cytotoxic drugs while TTC, pregnant, and breastfeeding.