Simplivia Blog

Hazardous drugs are an ever-present and sometimes invisible threat to the health of nurses.Exposure to hazardous drugs can have significant negative side effects, including skin rashes, genetic damage, reproductive health issues and cancer. Safe handling of hazardous drugs is a key method of reducing health risks for clinical and non-clinical personnel. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) provides employer guidelines on how to minimize hazardous drug risks with set protocols and personal protective equipment (PPE).

Pharmacists know that hazardous drugs are dangerous, yet fail to recognize the dangers of workplace contamination and the ease with which it occurs. Too many pharmacists skip safety protocols. When receiving, storing, or preparing hazardous drugs, many pharmacy personnel neglect to follow facility procedures and do not dispose of PPE correctly or treat hazardous drug waste as contaminated. Multiple avenues exist to increase the safety of pharmacy technology and end direct and indirect exposure to hazardous drugs.

Some of the same pharmaceutical agents that can be lifesaving for patients pose serious risks for the healthcare professionals. Occupational exposure to hazardous drugs has been linked to a range of health problems. Understanding the risks and how to effectively mitigate them can help keep both clinical and non-clinical staff safe while providing patients with the treatments they need.

Monoclonal antibodies, or mAbs, have many beneficial applications in oncology. For those who have cancer, treatment with mAbs could mean fewer side effects than chemotherapy drugs. However, despite being an important treatment modality, mAbs carry the risk of side effects for patients or occupational exposure for medical staff. Let's take a closer look at mAbs and how medical professionals can work with them safely.

Wipe sampling is an important method to determine the level of contamination on surfaces from chemotherapy drugs and other hazardous materials. The process for wipe sampling is referenced explicitly in OSHA literature, giving employers essential safety guidance. Even with this documentation, some additional tips can help make the process more efficient and optimize worker safety.

Some of the same pharmaceutical and biological agents used in clinical care settings for humans are now available to treat animals. This opens up the range of therapeutic options for treating cancers and other severe conditions, which is great news for animal lovers. The use of these drugs, however, does not come without risks.

With over 1.7 million new cancer cases in the United States each year, oncology pharmacists and providers face unique challenges and discoveries in their ever-changing field. Managing cancer care during COVID-19 adds yet another layer of complexity. It's hard to know for certain what the landscape of oncology will look like years from now, but we can take a look at the top 7 trends in oncology pharmacy and care to see where we're headed.

There's no question that healthcare wouldn't be the same without nurses. In the field of oncology, nurses play a vital role in caring for patients and their families. Cancer care in the COVID-19 era has presented oncology nurses with even more challenges, and healthcare will only continue to evolve in new ways after the pandemic. Here are a few trends in oncology nursing that are here to stay.

It's one of the biggest health crises of the 21st century, yet we seldom talk about it. It kills upwards of 50,000 people per year in the United States and Europe alone, and worldwide claims 700,000. Over the next 35 years, the death toll is expected to soar as high as 10 million per year. What is this killer?

In 2019, word of the novel coronavirus and its potentially deadly effects began to trickle into the news. By March 2020, many countries were on lockdown. Months have gone by, and scientists are still working on a solution. Without a doubt, the impact of COVID-19 has extended into all aspects of daily life.