Christopher Friese Discusses a 4-Year Study to Examine Nurse Exposure to Hazardous Drugs

Christopher R. Friese, PhD, RN, AOCN, FAAN, assistant professor, Division of System Leadership and Effectiveness Science, University of Michigan School of Nursing, discusses the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) $2.3 million research grant that will be used to identify exposure risks.

The study, which will last 4 years, will be conducted in 11 cancer centers across the country and will enroll over 300 nurses, Friese says. The study will characterize the issues of personal protective equipment (PPE) and potential exposure to chemotherapy that oncology nurses face on a day-to-day basis and test an intervention to help reduce the risk of exposure.

Friese says the first intervention that will be tested is a web-based educational module that will list the facts and figures of the NIOSH alert. The second intervention will tailor the message to nurses who are facing barriers in their practice. The information from the second intervention will be available to nurses.

Friese says when nurses get feedback, they’re more likely to make changes.