The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation made the claims on Friday following revelations of possible safety failings at the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne.
There are concerns a type of glove used by some staff might not have adequately protected them when handling agents including chemotherapy.
The hospital pulled the sterile glove from its supply after the Victorian workplace safety regulator notified it of the matter in late August.
But the potential impact on staff is not yet clear, leading to what the union described as an anxious wait for members working in high-risk areas.
"Our members are dealing with a great deal of uncertainty," secretary of the federation's Victorian branch Maddy Harradence said in a statement.
"They're angry, distressed and disappointed that their safety and health may have been compromised."
Ms Harradence alleged some within the hospital were aware of the issue up to a decade ago and stressed action had come too late.
"We acknowledge RCH management has eliminated the risk, albeit very late, and notified members and opened up lines for communication and support," she said.
The gloves, which are not rated for chemotherapy, were used for patients with latex allergies in a range of clinical applications, the Victorian Department of Health said.
The product has since been replaced with others that meet the relevant international standards and independent investigators will determine whether staff, including nurses and doctors, were exposed to toxic chemicals.
"We understand the concern and uncertainty this has caused and we are committed to being open with affected staff," a Royal Children's Hospital spokesperson said.
"We will share further information with staff as it becomes available and continue to support them."
A request to know how long the gloves had been in circulation was not addressed in the hospital's response to AAP.
However, an internal email to staff about the incident acknowledged concerns had been raised many years ago, ABC News reported.
The hospital maintained it had been "open and transparent" with staff regarding the potential risks of sterile gloves.
HealthShare Victoria, which is responsible for sourcing and delivering medical supplies for the public health sector, was working to determine whether the product had been used in chemotherapy at other hospitals, the Department of Health said.
WorkSafe Victoria said it was making inquiries to ensure health and safety risks were being addressed and to determine whether further action was required.
Global studies have found health care workers occupationally exposed to chemotherapy agents can have an increased risk of infertility, miscarriage and chromosomal abnormalities and of developing some cancers.
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