Abstract
Background. The nurse's role in healthcare waste management is crucial. Objectives. (1) To appraise nurses quantitatively and qualitatively regarding healthcare waste management; (2) to elicit the determinants of knowledge and attitudes of healthcare waste management. Method. A cross-sectional study was undertaken at a tertiary care hospital of Mangalore, India. Self-administered pretested questionnaire and “nonparticipatory observation” were used for quantitative and qualitative appraisals. Percentage knowledge score was calculated based on their total knowledge score. Nurses' knowledge was categorized as excellent (>70%), good (50–70%), and poor (<50%). Chi square test was applied to judge the association of study variables with their attitudes and knowledge. Results. Out of 100 nurses 47 had excellent knowledge (>70% score). Most (86%) expressed the need of refresher training. No study variable displayed significant association (P > 0.05) with knowledge. Apt segregation practices were followed except in casualty. Patients and entourages misinterpreted the colored containers. Conclusion. Nurses' knowledge and healthcare waste management practices were not satisfactory. There is a need of refresher trainings at optimum intervals to ensure sustainability and further improvement. Educating patients and their entourages and display of segregation information board in local language are recommended.
Highlights
In pursuing the aim of abating health problems and enhancing the quality of care, healthcare facilities inevitably create waste that may itself be hazardous to health
Chi square test was applied to judge the association of study variables with their attitudes and knowledge
There is a need of refresher trainings at optimum intervals to ensure sustainability and further improvement
Summary
In pursuing the aim of abating health problems and enhancing the quality of care, healthcare facilities inevitably create waste that may itself be hazardous to health Proper management of such waste is a legal, and a social responsibility of the hospitals. Segregation at the site of waste generation is the first and foremost important step in healthcare waste management. The importance of segregation is highlighted by the mere fact that only 10% to 25% of waste generated in health facilities is hazardous [1] Failure of this vital step turns nonhazardous waste into hazardous. There is a need of refresher trainings at optimum intervals to ensure sustainability and further improvement Educating patients and their entourages and display of segregation information board in local language are recommended
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