Knowledge, attitude, and practices about biomedical waste management as per 2016 rules among resident doctors and nursing staff in a tertiary care specialty hospital: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background: During the health-care delivery process, healthcare establishments generate hazardous bio-medical wastes (BMWs) which need for appropriate handling and management to prevent environmental and public health hazard. Different healthcare professionals should have adequate knowledge, attitudes, and practices with respect to BMW management. Honorable Supreme Court of India had led down the guidelines on BMW (Management and Handling) Rules in 1998, which was amended in 2016 by the Environment ministry. Objective: To assess knowledge, attitude, and practices regarding BMW management among the resident doctors and nursing staff in a tertiary care specialty teaching hospital as per new BMW Management Rules, 2016. Study Design: This was an institution based cross-sectional study. Methods: Predesigned, pretested, structured questionnaires were administered on fifty resident doctors and fifty nursing staff of the hospital with their prior consent. Data were analyzed using SPSS-25. Chi-square test and independent-sample t-test were applied for the analysis. Results: Both groups had adequate and comparable knowledge about BMW management. The nursing group had significantly more favorable attitude and adequate practice in comparison to resident doctors (P = 0.0001). There was lack of adequate training in both the groups significantly more in resident doctors. Regarding practices, resident doctors had more inadequate practice regarding handling, segregation, disposal, reporting, and record maintenance of BMW than nursing staff. Conclusion: Nursing staff have a better attitude and good practice than the resident doctors about BMW management. There should be a regular training program regarding BMW management for both the cadres of health-care workers.