When we first set out to reduce exposure to hazardous drugs, our work centered on our trusted PharmD partners. Over the past five years, as we’ve helped health systems comply with USP <800> and protect their workers, one truth has become clear: nurses play a critical role in keeping everyone safe.

The overall turnover rate for oncology nurses is approximately 27%, which jumps to up to a staggering 40% among early-career nurses in their first or second year, according to a podcast by the Oncology Nursing Society (ONS).

A recent Rhazdrugs implementation sparked a valuable discussion about how and why certain drugs end up on hazardous drug lists.

Remember 2004? Shrek 2 was breaking box office records, we were all singing "Yeah!" by Usher, and Facebook was just getting started. That same year, NIOSH published its first list of hazardous drugs in healthcare settings. It was a sample list of 34 drugs that would (slowly) grow into the list of 236 drugs NIOSH released in 2024.

Did you catch the blog Laura wrote recently about our time in Transylvania?  If not, check it out!  One thing our long flights and car rides afforded us was the time to catch up on our reading list.

We hope your summer has brought a mix of adventure, meaningful time with family and friends, and opportunities for professional growth.  And dare I say we hope you’ve had a minute to unplug and read some great books or watch some new shows?  For members of the Rpharmy team—John, Caroline, and I—it’s been all of the above. We recently traveled to Romania for an exciting first: meeting our talented team of product developers and business analysts in person.

At Rpharmy, we pride ourselves on the relationships we've built with our clients over the years. These trusted partnerships often lead to eye-opening conversations—conversations that help us understand the real challenges healthcare teams face and how we can better support them. One such discussion recently centered on a deceptively simple but critical question.

Rpharmy has been on the road again, connecting with pharmacy professionals and healthcare leaders at events across the country, including the 2025 ONS Congress. We always love the opportunity to meet with our valued customers and those just getting to know us.

At ONS, we had truly insightful conversations with oncology nurses about their hazardous drug safety programs. One recurring theme? Communication gaps. Many nurses shared that their facilities still struggle to clearly communicate safety protocols related to hazardous drug handling.

This got us thinking: “Does the pharmacy’s obligation stop at the door?” 

In other words, once the safety protocols are determined and documented, is it up to the nurses and other healthcare workers to access and follow them? 

We say: Absolutely not. And USP <800> agrees. 

 HD Safety Beyond the Pharmacy & How to Stratify Risk

How is Your HD List Management Really Going?