Nursing Assistants’ Use of Personal Protective Equipment Regarding Contact With Excreta Contaminated With Antineoplastic Drugs

PURPOSE: To examine the feasibility of observing and interviewing nursing assistants about handling of antineoplastic drugs contaminated with excreta, acceptability of a measure of personal protective equipment (PPE) use with nursing assistants, and predictors of PPE use. PARTICIPANTS A SETTING: 27 nursing assistants in an inpatient hematology-oncology unit at an academic medical center in the southeastern United States. METHODOLOGIC APPROACH: This was an exploratory, multimethod study using observation, verbally administered questionnaires, and interviews. Research variables included recruitment rates, acceptability of observation, and understandability of a safe-handling instrument. FINDINGS: Observed use of double gloves, chemotherapy gowns, and face shields was low; use of plastic-backed pads when flushing excreta was high. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: Nursing assistants are willing to participate in research. Standardized training and education about PPE use are needed.