Background Antineoplastic drugs constitute an important cornerstone in treating malignant cancer diseases. The nurses administering these drugs risk developing short- and long-term side effects from exposure if not properly protected by personal protective equipment. The National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health produces guidelines and recommendations for healthcare personnel handling antineoplastic drugs in order to minimise exposure. Aim The aim of this study was to observe and describe registered nurses’ compliance to National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health guidelines and recommendations concerning the use of personal protective equipment during drug administration at a public hospital in Guangzhou, China. Method Data was collected at three different departments using structured direct observations, totalling 211 administrations encompassing day and evening shifts. Results Total compliance to National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health guidelines and recommendations was 0 percent as a result of non-existent gown use. The overall compliance for the use of double gloves was 76,3 percent. The Department of Medical Oncology had the highest department-specific compliance rate for double gloves at 80,7 percent, whereas the evening shift at Chemotherapy Outpatient Department boasted the highest shift-specific compliance rate for the same item at 83,3 percent. Conclusion Interventions are needed concerning the use of personal protective equipment, in particular the use of gowns. Obtained hospital-specific guidelines did not include the procedure of drug administration, warranting the implementation of hospital-specific standard operating procedure guidelines encompassing this aspect.

Bakgrund: Läkemedelsgruppen cytostatika är klassificerad som ett hälsofarligt ämne och kräver försiktighetsåtgärder som främjar säker hantering, då det finns risk vid exponering. Därför är det viktigt att sjuksköterskorna som i sitt arbete kommer i kontakt med cytostatika får utbildning för lämpliga försiktighetsåtgärder. Syfte: Syftet var att beskriva faktorer som påverkade hur sjuksköterskor arbetade säkert i samband med cytostatikabehandling. Metod: Studien genomfördes som en allmän litteraturstudie där datainsamlingen gjordes i två olika databaser vilket resulterade i tio resultatartiklar. Resultat: Resultatet kategoriserades i tre kategorier: Kunskap, Personlig skyddsutrustning och Arbetsmiljö. Majoriteten av sjuksköterskorna påvisade en bristande kunskap vid cytostatikabehandling där en stor del av sjuksköterskorna inte hade fått någon utbildning. Handskar var den mest använda skyddsutrustningen vid hantering av cytostatika. Personlig skyddsutrustning kunde dock vara ett hinder och störa sjuksköterskan vid arbetsmomentet. Ljud och ljus var faktorer som kunde distrahera sjuksköterskan från att dubbelkontrollera läkemedel. Konklusion: Kunskap krävs för att sjuksköterskan ska kunna arbeta säkert i samband med cytostatikabehandling. Riktlinjer för handhavande av cytostatika finns till för att skydda vårdpersonal men även patienter för exponering. / Background: The drug group cytostatics is listed as a health hazardous drug and require precautions that promote safe handling, as there is a risk of exposure. Therefore, it is important that the nurses who in their work come in contact with cytotoxic drugs receive training for appropriate precautions. Purpose: The purpose was to describe factors that affected how nurses worked safely in correlation to chemotherapy. Method: The study was conducted as a general literature study where the data collection was done in two different databases, which resulted in ten result articles. Results: The results were categorized into three categories: Knowledge, Personal protective equipment and Working environment. The majority of nurses demonstrated a lack of knowledge in chemotherapy treatment where a large part of nurses did not receive any training. Gloves were the most used protective equipment when handling cytotoxic drugs. However, personal protective equipment could be an obstacle and disturb the nurse during the work phase. Sound and light were factors that could distract the nurse from double-checking medicines. Conclusion: Knowledge is required for the nurse to be able to work safely in correlation to chemotherapy. Guidelines for the handling of cytotoxic drugs exist to protect healthcare personel but also patients from exposure.