Medical Surveillance for Healthcare Workers Exposed to Hazardous Drugs.

摘要

Health care workers who prepare, administer, or transport hazardous drugs or dispose of hazardous drug waste may face risks to their own health such as skin disorders, reproductive disorders, and possibly cancer. NIOSH recommends that employers establish a medical surveillance program as part of a comprehensive prevention program that also minimizes worker exposure through engineering controls, good work practices, and personal protective equipment (PPE) and provides education about working with hazardous drugs. Medical surveillance involves collecting and interpreting data to detect changes in the health status of working populations potentially exposed to hazardous substances. The elements of a medical surveillance program are used to establish an initial baseline of workers' health and then monitor their future health as it relates to their potential exposure to hazardous agents. This information can be used to identify and correct prevention failures leading to disease. Early identification of health problems can also benefit individual workers.