HOSPITAL WASTE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN TWO TERTIARY CARE TEACHING HOSPITALS AT MYSORE

Background: Biomedical waste management is an important area in hospital safety and sanitation. Despite the presence of legislation there are many concerns and deficiencies in the optimum practice of the guidelines prescribed. Hospital waste produced is hazardous and carries variety of health risks, if not handled and disposed properly. The target group affected is vast, starting from doctors, patients, general public and waste handers. Teaching hospitals should act as leaders in following the right practices and should also involve themselves in training other health professionals in the appropriate hospital waste management. So it becomes imperative for the teaching hospitals to adopt the best practices in this area. Method: The study was undertaken to study the current practices of hospital waste management at K.R. Hospital & Cheluvamba Hospital, attached to Mysore Medical College, Mysore. It was a cross sectional study done using a checklist. Thirteen major departments in the two hospitals were selected for the study. The questionnaire was administered to the staff nurses in these locations to know their knowledge and attitude regarding safe hospital waste management. Results: 48.7% of Staff nurses were trained but showing poor level of knowledge regarding color coding used for different categories and their method of disposal. Majority were not using protective devices provided to them showing lack of attitude. From the observation made we could see that basic facilities like colour buckets, bags, needle burners were missing in many locations and in most of the locations waste produced was not being properly processed in the next stage, showing that none of them could ensure for safe waste management without break in the series. Conclusions: Periodic training, supervision and monitoring by staff and strengthening of the infrastructure are required.