The Relationship Between Nurses’ Awareness of Safety Guidelines on Antineoplastic Agents, Hospital Safety Culture, Anxiety about Exposure to Antineoplastic Agents, and Adherence to Safety Guidelines on Antineoplastic Agents

Purpose: This descriptive study aimed to examine the relationships among nurses’ awareness of safety guidelines on antineoplastic agents, hospital safety culture, anxiety about exposure to antineoplastic agents, and adherence to safety guidelines on antineoplastic agents. Methods: Data were collected from 135 nurses handling antineoplastic agents in hospitals located in Cheongju City and Sejong City city between February 19 and March 10, 2025. Statistical analyses were performed using descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, one-way ANOVA, Pearson’s correlation, and multiple regression analyses with SPSS/WIN 29.0. Results: Nurses reported a high level of awareness of safety guidelines on antineoplastic agents, with environmental management scoring the highest among subdomains. Adherence to Safety guidelines differed significantly according to exposure status (t=-2.09, <i>p</i>=.039) and showed a positive correlation with hospital safety culture (r=.41, <i>p</i><.001). Multiple regression analysis identified hospital safety culture (β=.40, <i>p</i><.001) and exposure status (β=-.17, <i>p</i>=.028) as significant predictors, accounting for 19.0% of the variance in adherence to safety guidelines. Conclusion: Hospital safety culture and exposure status were significant predictors of adherence to safety guidelines on antineoplastic agents. These findings highlight the need for targeted educational and organizational interventions to increase compliance. Further research is warranted to explore additional factors influencing adherence to safety guidelines among nurses handling antineoplastic agents.