Exposure to Chemo

Specialties Oncology

Published

How do you guys feel about the long term exposure to chemo? Even with proper PPE and handling it isn't known the long term effects of constant chemo exposure.

There was this article in ONS three years ago about miscarriages Risk of Miscarriage Is Increased for Nurses Handling Chemotherapy | ons connect

I worry about it everyday (I'm not even pregnant) but I worry about my health. Do you guys worry about it too?

All of the other comments pretty much cover what I was going to say. So on a random note: the one thing that has always irked me about hospitals, especially mine, is why a dedicated oncology unit doesn't have toilet lids. It feels so Macgyver-ish to have to put a towel or chux over the toilet.

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ONS guidelines are on the ONS website. Pediatric oncology nurses follow APHON guidelines.

I don't see a link on either of those websites for exactly what you need to do.

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OP - have you taken the ONS Chemotherapy & Biotherapy certificate course? If not, I'd suggest it. Your hospital should require it if you are administering chemotherapy and biotherapy.

Have you received any education or training about handling chemotherapy at your job? Do you have a resource nurse who can help you at work?

Additionally, have you read the full article that you initially posted? Since you have a BSN I know that you probably took a research course so I won't bore you with the obvious limitations of the study.

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