Naslov
Education about health protection of healthcare workers related to hazardous drugs in Croatian hospitals

Autori
Knezevic, Bojana ; Kerner, Ivana

Izvornik
Occupational and environmental medicine (1351-0711) 75 (2018), A97; 866, 1

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Radovi u časopisima, kratko priopcenje, stručni

Ključne riječi
safe handling, cytotoxic drugs, healthcare

Sažetak
Introduction Hazardous drugs have one or more following characteristics: carcinogenicity, teratogenicity, reproductive toxicity, organ toxicity at law doses and genotoxicity. Health care workers who prepare or administer the hazardous drugs (e.g. cancer chemotherapy drugs) or who work in places where these drugs are used may be exposed to these agents in the workplace. In Croatia there are no legal regulatory acts and there are no national guidelines to define how to protect healthcare workers who are at risk of exposure to cytotoxic drugs. Aim of this case report is to show good practice of health protection of healthcare workers in University Hospital Centre (UHC) Zagreb. Methods Training course was organised by the UHC for all healthcare workers who might be exposed to cancer chemotherapy drugs. Health assessments of all those workers were provided by occupational health physician who have contracted with the employer and provide the health surveillance of workers who are in the risk for health and safety. Result There were 5 training courses during the period of two years (2015–2017.) Out of 250 workers, 200 participated in the training course. All workers who were in the risk of exposure to cytotoxic drugs have to visited occupational health institute for health assessment (prior to exposure and at regular intervals thereafter). All workers, who were examined for that workplace, had fitness for work. Workers were no suffering ill-health due to possible exposure. Conclusion UHC organised the training course to raise awareness about the hazardous drugs in hospital and improve knowledge and safety at work of healthcare workers. The obligation of the employer is to assess the hazards and dangerous at the workplace and manage the risk of exposure to carcinogens or mutagens. This process shall be renewed regularly.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Javno zdravstvo i zdravstvena zaštita

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