Should You Wear a Gown to Disconnect Chemo?

October 21, 2019 by Chris Pirschel ONS Staff Writer/Producer

The short answer is yes—guidelines from ONS, National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and U.S. Pharmacopia (USP) all call for nurses to always wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) when at risk for exposure, including disconnecting a patient’s chemotherapy.

Wearing a gown and other PPE isn’t just good practice—it protects nurses at one of many touchpoints during chemotherapy administration and patient care where healthcare providers are at risk for exposure to hazardous drugs (https://www.ons.org/sites/default/files/2018-06/ONS_Safe_Handling_Toolkit_0.pdf).

Antineoplastic drug exposure (https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/hazdrug/antineoplastic.html), especially over prolonged periods of time, is associated with increased risk for reproductive issues, fetal damage, kidney and liver damage, and cancer. Using proper PPE during chemotherapy administration is an essential component of oncology nursing practice—minimizing exposure to keep healthcare professionals safe.

When and Where PPE Is Required

As centers across the country prepare for USP <800> implementation, many are increasing their focus on using proper PPE. Although the chapter itself doesn’t go into detail about all the situations where nurses should be using PPE, national guidelines have established the finer points to help demystify the process and keep healthcare providers safe.

According to ONS’s 2018 safe handling toolkit (https://www.ons.org/sites/default/files/2018-06/ONS_Safe_Handling_Toolkit_0.pdf), nurses should wear PPE during the following encounters with hazardous drugs:

Tips for Safe PPE Practice

Using proper PPE doesn’t just protect administering nurses from exposure; it can also cut down on cross contamination that can affect other staff, family members, and even patients. Consider the following tips for safe PPE practice (https://www.ons.org/sites/default/files/2018-06/ONS_Safe_Handling_Toolkit_0.pdf):

Regardless of whether your state enforces national standards like USP <800>, adherence to appropriate PPE and safe handling practice has a tangible impact on the safety of an institution. From the front desk to the administering nurse to maintenance and custodial staff—and everywhere in between—proper PPE can help protect everyone in practice.

Learn more about proper safe handling with ONS’s safe handling toolkit online (https://www.ons.org/clinical-practice-resources/toolkit-safe-handling-hazardous-drugs-nurses-oncology).


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