A STUDY ON BIOMEDICAL WASTE MANAGEMENT KNOWLEDGE AMONG MEDICAL UNIVERSITIES STAFF NURSES AND NURSING STUDENTS

Abstract

Hospitals serve as both the primary location for medical treatment and as significant sources of infectious waste production. Efficient management of Biomedical Waste (BMW) is not alone a legal requirement but also a societal obligation. The objective is to evaluate the proficiency and implementation of biomedical waste management among nursing staff and student nurses in medical universities. The research was carried out at various medical universities in Karachi. The study was a cross-sectional, descriptive, hospital-based, investigation.  The present study included a total of 320 nurses, who were selected randomly from different departments. Data collection was conducted using a structured proforma already pre-designed, and, pre-tested, following the participants' informed consent. A self-developed scoring method was employed to classify the participants into categories of high, moderate, and low scores. The data was collected and processed using percentages. The assessment evaluated the general knowledge of BMW management, using a scoring system ranging from 0 to 8. The results indicated that staff nurses had a higher level of knowledge compared to student nurses. Upon evaluating the knowledge information pertaining to BMW management, it was shown that staff nurses exhibited superior proficiency compared to students. Staff nurses achieved moderate scores (6-8 right responses) in 62.5% of cases, whereas students achieved moderate scores in 37.5% of cases. While the participants demonstrated a satisfactory level of overall knowledge, they would benefit from high-quality training to enhance their existing understanding of BMW.