INFLUENCE OF INTENSIVE TRAINING ON BIOMEDICAL WASTE MANAGEMENT IN A MULTISPECIALTY HOSPITAL

Abstract

Introduction: Though the doctors are said to have better theoretical knowledge of Bio Medical Waste, actually on ground it is the staff nurses & housekeeping staff that are considered as important employees dealing with the Bio Medical Waste. Training is considered as an important phase of the process of acquiring the capacity as it identifies the existing gaps in knowledge, attitudes and skills that affect the individual performance. With so much importance related to the training, this study was undertaken to study the influence of structured training sessions on knowledge, attitude and practice regarding Biomedical Waste Management among Nurses and Housekeeping Staff in the hospital. Methods: The study was conducted in a multispecialty hospital. The data was collected with a questionnaire from nursing & housekeeping staff with two options either ‘yes’ or ‘no’. The percentages were calculated in the two groups, one during pre-test and the second after imparting the education which becomes the post-test percentage. Results: As per our results it is found that the knowledge & attitude of nurses in both section II & section III of questionnaire was better both in pre-test & post-test as compared to housekeeping staff & education has a positive influence on both nurses & housekeeping staff. Conclusion: The problem of bio-medical waste disposal in the hospitals and other healthcare establishments has become an issue of increasing concern. Intensive training programs are highly recommended to deal with this burning issue of Bio medical waste management. Keywords: Nurses, Housekeeping Staff, Biomedical waste Management, Knowledge, Practice, Attitude