title: Healthcare waste management: qualitative and quantitative appraisal of nurses in a tertiary care hospital of India.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The nurse's role in healthcare waste management is crucial.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  (1) To appraise nurses quantitatively and qualitatively regarding healthcare waste management; (2) to elicit the determinants of knowledge and attitudes of healthcare waste management.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was undertaken at a tertiary care hospital of Mangalore, India. Self-administered pretested questionnaire and "nonparticipatory observation" were used for quantitative and qualitative appraisals. Percentage knowledge score was calculated based on their total knowledge score. Nurses' knowledge was categorized as excellent (>70%), good (50-70%), and poor (<50%). Chi square test was applied to judge the association of study variables with their attitudes and knowledge.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 100 nurses 47 had excellent knowledge (>70% score). Most (86%) expressed the need of refresher training. No study variable displayed significant association (P > 0.05) with knowledge. Apt segregation practices were followed except in casualty. Patients and entourages misinterpreted the colored containers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nurses' knowledge and healthcare waste management practices were not satisfactory. There is a need of refresher trainings at optimum intervals to ensure sustainability and further improvement. Educating patients and their entourages and display of segregation information board in local language are recommended.
authors.affiliation: Community Medicine, Yenepoya Medical College, Yenepoya University, Deralakatte, Mangalore, Karnataka 575018, India.
authors.forename: Siddharudha
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-1454-7114
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shivalli
authors.affiliation: Yenepoya Medical College, Yenepoya University, Mangalore, Karnataka 575018, India.
authors.forename: Vasudha
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-8642-7050
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sanklapur
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006748:Hospital Departments; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008297:Male; D008506:Medical Waste / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009726:Nurses / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D063128:Tertiary Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D018505:Waste Management / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
chemical_list: D008506:Medical Waste