Background: Perianal injuries in adults with hematologic malignancies can result in sepsis or death. Patients on a 36-bed acute care oncology unit experienced increased perianal injuries from 2018 to 2021 based on a chart review, which revealed that 24 patients with leukemia, all of whom had received cytarabine, developed perianal injuries.
Objectives: This study examined whether a nurse-led educational intervention would decrease perianal injuries.
Methods: A survey examined baseline nurse knowledge on perianal injuries. Nurses received a 10-minute in-service education session about perianal injuries, their predisposing factors, and prevention strategies followed by a survey to test their knowledge. Twenty nurses completed the pre- and postintervention surveys.
Findings: After the intervention, staff knowledge increased by 33%. One year postintervention, perianal injuries had decreased by more than 50%. Nurse and patient education are vital to decrease perianal injuries in patients with leukemia.
Keywords: cytarabine; fissure; leukemia; perianal injury; rectal abscess.