KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND PRACTICES OF STAFF NURSES REGARDING BIOMEDICAL WASTE MANAGEMENT IN HOSPITALS OF PUNE.

Maneesha R Suryavanshi; Seeta Devi; R K Suryavanshi

Volume : VII, Issue : IV, April - 2018

KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND PRACTICES OF STAFF NURSES REGARDING BIOMEDICAL WASTE MANAGEMENT IN HOSPITALS OF PUNE.

Maneesha R Suryavanshi, Seeta Devi, R K Suryavanshi

Abstract :

Background: Since the implementation of the Biomedical Waste Management Rules 1998, every concerned health personnel is expected to have proper knowledge, practice and capacity to guide others for waste collection and management, and proper handling techniques. Nurses in the hospitals generate a number of hazardous wastes that can be detrimental to the environment and patients if not properly managed. With this background, the study was conducted to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of biomedical waste management among staff nurses working in the hospitals of Pune. Objectives: To assess the knowledge, attitude, practices regarding biomedical waste management of staff nurses. Materials and methods: A cross–sectional questionnaire based survey containing 22 knowledge related questions, 10 attitude related items and 8 items to observe the practices of staff nurses regarding Biomedical Waste Management. The samples were the staff nurses of hospitals in Pune, Maharashtra. Results: The mean, median and mode of knowledge, scores were 42.8, 50, 50 respectively.The p–value of the t–test came out to be 0.212 (t statistic = –1.265, d.f = 49). Conclusion: The study revealed that although the attitude regarding Biomedical WasteManagementamong faculty members and students of the institution was high, knowledge and practice remained low.