Compliance with safe handling guidelines of antineoplastic drugs in Jordanian hospitals

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the compliance of healthcare workers with standard safety guidelines during the preparation and administrations of antineoplastic medications.

Design: A cross-sectional survey study.

Setting: All hospitals in Jordan where healthcare workers are involved in preparation and administration of antineoplastic medications.

Participants: All healthcare workers who are involved in preparation and administration of antineoplastic medications in Jordanian hospitals.

Intervention: A questionnaire that covered information about work place, healthcare workers, and use of personal protective equipments during handling of antineoplastic medications was self-filled by each participant.

Main outcome measures: Compliance rates with workplace requirements, healthcare workers, and use of personnel protective equipments.

Results: Majority of participants (74.2%), representing nine out of 15 (60%) hospitals, reported full compliance of workplace with all requirements of the guidelines. Items with full compliance in all hospitals were availability of policies and procedures for safe handling of antineoplastic agents, availability of reporting system, and availability of sharp containers. Concerning healthcare workers' guidelines, worker with full compliance were 46.4% of participants. Items with least compliance rate were working inside biological safety cabinet (65.1%) and having training program on handling chemotherapy medications (66.7%). Finally, concerning items-related personal protective equipments, only 10.7% of participants reported full compliance. Items with least compliance rates were wearing goggles (eye protection), shoe cover, and hair cover.

Conclusions: Results of this study showed the levels of compliance with guidelines pertaining to work place and workers who prepare and administer antineoplastic medications. Among other points, compliance with guidelines pertaining to wearing personnel protective equipments was limited and required further improvement.

Keywords: Compliance; antineoplastic drugs; guidelines; safe handling.