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Name of Research Project

The UK perception and experience of the past and /or present nursing experiences and perceptions of potential occupational exposure to cytotoxic drugs

Introduction/Purposes

For nurses to deliver cancer treatment to patients, the delivery requires health and safety regulation because the drugs given are classed as dangerous to an individual’s health, when exposed to them at work. This is either through direct contact, inhaling or ingesting the drug. This study aims to ask cancer nurses what their experiences have been, or their feelings regarding being potentially exposed to these drugs while delivering cancer treatments on a regular daily basis to many patients in their care.

This study will look at other study results, group their results together, to ask specific questions in a survey and individual interviews of cancer nurses. The survey will be designed to send to about two hundred nurses across the UK to complete and return. These questions will cover how and when the nurses use protective equipment to prevent being exposure to toxic drugs. It will also ask about their place of work; staffing levels and number of daily patients requiring treatment, what types of treatment and where is this given, and what devices are used to reduce exposure. This will give a picture of current practice and exposure risk across the UK, to identify any differences between provision in cancer centres and hospitals. To understand this topic more the research team will ask about thirty nurses questions over the telephone to help understand the individual nurses’ thinking and feeling about giving cancer treatments and potential exposure to toxic drugs. By combining the three different approaches within this study: looking at other studies, sending a survey and individual interviews, the research team will be able to understand a more complete picture across the UK. This will allow the research team to give advice to nurses and inform best evidence-based practice that ensures safety in the future.