Obstacles to Cytotoxic Waste Management Perceived by Nurses in Shiraz, Iran

We conducted a qualitative study to evaluate oncology and chemotherapy ward nurses’ perspectives concerning cytotoxic waste collection and disposal in Shiraz Medical University Hospitals and Clinics.
Thematic analysis using the Grounded Theory approach was used on qualitative data collected during individual semi-structured interviews. Sixteen nursing staff experienced in chemotherapy services was each interviewed for 30–45 minutes. Interviews covered items from participant experiences and perceptions concerning obstacles to correct collection and disposal.
Two main barriers, individual and organizational, were identified.
We found barriers to proper management of cytotoxic waste were a combination of individual and organizational factors. We propose the creation of a comprehensive training program coveringthe management and handling of cytotoxic waste for all healthcare workers and managers and development of a compliance surveillance scheme.