A Study on Assessment of Knowledge, Attitude and Practices regarding Biomedical Waste Management among Health Care Professionals in a Hospital

Abstract

Biomedical waste (BMW) generated in our nation on a day to day basis is immense and contains infectious and hazardous materials. Biomedical waste comprises human & animal anatomical waste, treatment apparatus like needles, syringes, and other materials used in health care facilities in the process of treatment and research. It is crucial on the part of the employees to know the hazards of the biomedical waste in the work environment and make its disposition effective and in a scientific manner. It is critical that the different professionals engaged in the healthcare sector have adequate Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices with respect to biomedical waste management. To ascertain the levels of and the expanse of gaps in knowledge, attitudes and practices among doctors, post graduates, staff nurses, laboratory technicians and house-keeping staffs in a SMS  hospital in Jaipur, Rajasthan. A cross sectional study was carried out using questionnaire as the study tool among the health care professionals in a hospital. The study demonstrated gaps in the knowledge amongst all the cadres of the study respondents. The knowledge in relation to BMW Management including the hospital BMW protocols was more desirable among doctors, but practical facets were better in nurses and the lab technicians. Knowledge, Attitude and Practice amongst the different cadres of staff members were found to be significant statistically.