title: Protection behaviors for cytotoxic drugs in oncology nurses of chemotherapy centers in Shiraz hospitals, South of Iran.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The use of antineoplastic agents for the treatment of cancer is an increasingly common practice in hospitals. As a result, workers involved with handling antineoplastic drugs may be accidentally exposed to these agents, placing them at potential risk for long-term adverse effects. This study aimed to determine the occupational protection status of clinical nursing staff exposed to cytotoxic drugs.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was designed as an analytic descriptive survey. The research settings took place in six centers of chemotherapy in Shiraz, Iran. The participants were 86 nurses who worked in oncology units and administered cytotoxic drugs. Data were collected using a questionnaire and a checklist which was developed by the investigators to determine occupational protection status of clinical nursing staff exposed to cytotoxic drugs. Percentage calculations and the independent samplest-test were used to see the general distribution and analysis of data. To statistically analyze of the data, SPSS software (version 16) was applied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of participants was 30.52 ± 6.50 years and 66.27% of the nurses worked on inpatient oncology wards. The mean practice score was 21.1 ± 3.76 that ranged from 12.5 to 31. The independent samplest-test showed the outpatient nurses were weaker in practice (17.2 ± 2.52) in comparison with university hospitals (23.35 ± 3.02,P< 0.001). Occupational protection status of clinical nursing staff exposed to cytotoxic drugs especially during administration and disposal of medicines was poor and rarely trained with this subject and was observed under the standard conditions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is deficiency in the understanding and related protection practices of clinical nursing staff vocationally exposed to cytotoxic drugs. It is recommended that all clinical nursing staff should receive full occupational protection training about these matters and the authorities provide standard conditions of oncology wards.
authors.affiliation: Emam Mohammad-Bagher Hospital, Ghirokarzin, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Ghirokarzin, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Khadijeh
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Abbasi
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing and Midwifery, College of Nursing and Midwifery, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hazrati
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Environmental Pollutants, Associate Professor of Epidemiology, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom/Iran, Iran.
authors.forename: Abolfazl
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mohammadbeigi
authors.affiliation: Bs in Medical Emergency, EMS, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Ghirokarzin, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Jasem
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ansari
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran.
authors.forename: Mahboubeh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sajadi
authors.affiliation: Ms of Nursing, Nursing and Midwifery College, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran.
authors.forename: Azam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hosseinnazzhad
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Valiaasr Hospital, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran.
authors.forename: Esmail
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Moshiri
keywords: Cancer; chemotherapy; cytotoxic drugs; nurse; oncology