Original Research Article
Year: 2019 | Month: September | Volume: 6 | Issue: 9 | Pages: 39-43
To Assess Knowledge and Practice of Biomedical Waste Management among Health Professionals Working at Tertiary Care Hospital
Ms. Savita Pohekar1, Ms. Deeplata Mendhe2
1Associate Professor, Medical Surgical Nursing,
2Associate Professor Community Health Nursing,
SRMMCON, Sawangi (M) Wardha, Maharashtra, India
Corresponding Author: Ms. Savita Pohekar
ABSTRACT
Background: Healthcare workers are potentially exposed to blood and body fluids during course of their work and therefore they are at risk of infection with blood-borne pathogens. Evidence exists that compliance with Universal Precautions reduces the risk of infections and protects healthcare practitioners. Hence, this study was undertaken to assess the knowledge and practices of health care professionals regarding biomedical waste management. Aims and objectives of the study were to assess the knowledge of health care professionals regarding Bio - Medical Waste Management and to observe the practices of health care professionals in hospital settings.
Objectives: 1.To assess the knowledge and practices regarding bio-medical waste management among the health professionals.2. To assess the attitude regarding bio-medical waste management among the health professionals.3.To find the association of knowledge and practices regarding bio-medical waste management among the health professionals with selected demographic variables.
Methods: This was a cross sectional study conducted among health professionals working in Acharya Vinoba Bhave Rural Hospital,Sawangi (Meghe), Wardha from January to March 2017 among 110 health care professionals including Doctors, Nurses and Laboratory technicians. Pretested predesigned structured questionnaires and checklist were used. Data was collected and the statistical analysis was done by using Frequencies and percentages were presented for categorical variables.
Results: the overall knowledge regarding bio-medical waste management were excellent (>75% score) among all the health care professionals including doctors, nurses, lab technicians the practices regarding biomedical waste management among the nurses were excellent 86.6% as compared to doctors and lab technicians. There was association of knowledge with demographic variable, years of experience across all the health care professionals.
Conclusion: The importance of training regarding biomedical waste management needs emphasis on lack of appropriate and complete knowledge regarding biomedical waste management impacts practices of correct waste disposal. Based on the findings of the present study, it can be concluded that in spite of having good knowledge regarding hospital waste management the practices among the doctors and lab technicians were not up to the mark as compared to nurses,
Key words: Knowledge, Practices, Biomedical Waste Management, Tertiary Care Hospital, Health Care Professionals
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