Minimizing Staff Exposure to Antineoplastic Agents During Intravesical Therapy

Exposure to chemotherapy is a daily risk for nurses in oncology infusion centers. Although significant advances have been made in developing systems to make IV administration of antineoplastic agents safer, less attention has been given to developing systems to minimize exposure risk during instillation of intravesical chemotherapy. This article describes the use of a closed system developed at a comprehensive cancer center and compares it to two closed systems reported in the literature.

At a Glance

• Safe handling of biohazard medications is important for all healthcare workers involved in the administration of antineoplastic agents.
• Nurses need to advocate for use of chemotherapy administration systems that minimize exposure to staff and patients.
• Infrequently performed procedures need to be supported by clearly specified procedural steps that are readily accessible to the nurse.