Exposición laboral a citostáticos en el equipo de enfermería de atención primaria

Introduction

Cytostatic drugs are classified as potentially dangerous to health when handled. Methotrexate is a cytostatic and immunosuppressive drug increasingly used in primary care for the treatment of various rheumatological and dermatological problems. Therefore, those workers, such as nurses, who may be exposed to these risks, as a consequence of their professional work must be observed.

Objectives

Describe the management and exposure of methotrexate in the primary care nursing team of Orihuela Health Department, Spain.

Methodology

It corresponds to a descriptive observational study, carried out in the period from April 1 to 25, 2023. An observation guide was applied during a direct visit with nursing and following the recommendations of the current protocols for the management and exposure to cytostatics. Sampling was non-probabilistic for convenience. The sample size was calculated based on the nursing staff by estimating a proportion considering 7 health care areas and 31 auxiliary offices. As an inclusion criterion, a minimum of one year's experience in the administration of medication in the units under study was taken into account.

Results

Of a total of 124 nurses who provide services in primary care at the Orihuela Health Department, a total of 66 nurses participated. The mean age was 37.34 (SD 12.66). Two groups of nurses were created according to basic health zones with inhabitants of more than 25,000 or less than 25,000. It was considered that the Health Planning of the Territory in the autonomous communities of the Information System defined by Royal Decree 137/1984 of 22, on basic health structures for the improvement of Primary Care. In the observation guide, the lowest values were obtained in the evaluation/information of the patient regarding the management and exposure of methotrexate in the nurses. All nurses in both groups successfully applied the 5 rights of medication administration (route, dose, time, patient, and medication) for the safe management of methotrexate.

Conclusion

The results obtained in our research highlight the need to describe the management and exposure of methotrexate in the nursing team and the relevance of seeking methods to improve knowledge and skills. In this sense, this study could, through the observation guide used, improve the management and exposure to methotrexate in the primary care nursing team and avoid unnecessary risks that can have serious consequences for nurses and patients.