Context: Chemotherapeutic drugs are chemical substances used for cancer treatment and known to be carcinogenic, teratogenic, and mutagenic to humans. Occupational exposure to chemotherapeutic drugs has led to higher health hazards among nurses who handle them. Aim: Assess chemotherapy health hazards among oncology nurses and its possible relation to malpractice and workplace environment. Method: A descriptive and exploratory research design used in the present study. All available nurses from both sexes working in the chemotherapy department comprised of 50 nurses, of one-year experience at least. The study conducted at Oncology Center in Minia City, Egypt, in the outpatient and inpatient chemotherapy department. Three tools used to collect the study data. An interview structured questionnaire for nurses, designed to assess socio-demographic characteristics and medical history of the studied nurses. The second tool is nursing practice observation checklists to assess safe practice in chemotherapy handling. The third tool was environmental safety checklists to assess workplace environmental safety. Results: The main results of this study clarified that about half of the study sample (48%) complained of health hazards presented as skin irritation/allergy, chest allergy, and inflammation of eyes (45.8%, 16.7%, 37.5% respectively). Maternal hazards presented mainly as irregular menstrual bleeding (50%), menorrhagia, and abortion (33.3%). Decrease environmental safety presented mainly as absence of biological safety cabinet, specific personal protective equipment (PPE), safe handling chemotherapy guidelines. Along with certain nurses' malpractice as the majority of the study sample (74%) has poor practice score in the handling of chemotherapy. Conclusion: This study indicated the presence of general and maternal health hazards among nurses handling chemotherapy in the form of general and maternal health hazards. The study also clarified nurses’ malpractice among about three-fourths of nurses and provide evidence of an unsafe environment. The results strengthened the increased need for improving nurses' knowledge and practice regarding chemotherapy handling along with the provision of needed equipment/supplies to underpin safe and effective practice in this area.

Introduction: Burns of the hand have devastating consequences not only for the functional outcome but also for the esthetic appearance. Post burn functional disabilities of the upper extremity are better prevented than treated. Aim: this study aimed to evaluate the effect of physiotherapy protocol on upper limbs' function post burn. Design: A quasi-experimental (time series) design submitted to meet the aim of the study. Subjects: A purposive sample of 27 male and female adult patients with 2 nd degree burn in hand assigned in the current study which was carried out in Burn Department and its outpatient clinic of General hospital at Minia city. Tools: Four tools were utilized to collect data of this study; demographic questionnaire, Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand Scale (DASH), Manual Muscle testing, and Vancouver Scar Assessment Scale (VSS). Results: Twenty seven adult 2 nd degree burned patients with mean age 36.0 ± 11.22 are included in the study. Gradual improvement of the upper limbs' function measured through DASH scale was observed after application of physiotherapy protocol, this appear through significant decrease in complain from severe dysfunction among 25.9% after 2 months to 0% after 6 months; significant increase in muscle force (22.2%, 59.3%) and prominent improvement of burn scar measured by VSS. Conclusions: The data suggest that the upper limbs' function post burns can be improved by preventive nursing interventions including early range of motion, anti-contracture positioning and splinting of hand which has positive effects on burn scar. Recommendations: regular training programs to keep nurses in burn units updated with the evidence-based practices and array interventions for reducing burn scar and improving limbs' function and therefore patients' productivity.

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