Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/1169964
22 Sponsored by: Best practices for the safe handling of hazardous drugs — How to prepare for USP <800> H ealthcare is not just about taking care of patients. It's also about taking care of your staff. Exposure to hazardous drugs can have a material impact on the physiology of anyone who comes in contact with the drugs – Patients, providers and material handlers. New USP<800> standards are designed to protect all involved. Failure to comply with these new standards can not only impact the health of your staff, it can also result in fines for your health system. On Dec. 1, the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) <800> standards will officially take effect. These standards offer new protocols for the safe handling of hazardous drugs. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health defines hazardous drugs as any drugs that can cause physical changes to the human body 1 . These substances are used in a variety of care settings, ranging from hospitals to ambulatory surgery centers, physicians' offices, men's and women's specialties, cancer centers, post- acute care and even at home in the form of infusion therapies. With December just months away, health systems need to prepare for the effect USP <800> will have on their operations from the supply chain all the way down to clinician touch points. Regulatory compliance is rarely easy. However, we must protect our patients, providers and material handlers that come in contact with hazardous drugs. The time to develop a USP<800> compliance strategy is now. What is USP <800>? USP <800> provides new guidelines for preventing hazardous drug exposure 2 . These include: • Creating, maintaining and enforcing a policy on meeting the new standards • Wearing personal protective equipment when administering hazardous drugs, including gowns, head and shoe coverings and double gloving • Using protective medical equipment like closed-system transfer devices, needleless equipment and plastic pouches for pill crushing • Deactivating, decontaminating, disinfecting and cleaning contact areas and the surrounding environment • Storing, receiving and handling hazardous drugs separately from nonhazardous drugs As a scientific, nonprofit organization, the USP will not enforce USP <800> compliance. However, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, some state pharmacy boards and some state laws can mandate compliance with the new standards. Health systems determined to be noncompliant could face financial penalties. How USP <800> will affect the supply chain and the clinical environment Hazardous drugs pose risks from the moment they are shipped to the point of disposal. As a result, healthcare systems must consider how USP <800> will affect both the supply chain and clinical environment. For example: • Warehousing, handling, storage and distribution. In addition to storing hazardous drugs separately, staff in centralized receiving areas and distribution centers must understand how to protect themselves from hazardous drug spills. Rick Taylor, senior director of category management at McKesson Medical-Surgical, noted, "All personnel who deal with hazardous drugs need personal protection. They should double glove and wear the proper personal protection. These employees must be just as aware of the safety issues as frontline healthcare providers." 1 https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2016-161/default.html 2 https://www.usp.org/compounding/general-chapter-hazardous-drugs-handling-healthcare