Awareness of Biomedical Waste Management among Nursing Students: A Hospital Based Study in Haryana

Background: Different types of waste generated during health activities. The waste so generated has chanceof causing serious infection and injury to persons who come in contact with it. As nursing students are goingto be one of the most important components of health care system, they should have proper and sufficientknowledge of biomedical waste (BMW) management. Keeping all these facts in mind the present study wasconducted. Objective: To assess the awareness of biomedical waste management among nursing students ofMaharaja Agrasen College of Nursing. Study Design: A hospital based cross-sectional study. Setting:Maharaja Agrasen College of Nursing, Agroha (Hisar). Participants: one hundred thirty nursing students.Material and Methods: The primary tool in this study was a predesigned structured close-endedquestionnaire for recording of awareness, knowledge, attitude and practices regarding biomedical wastemanagement of the study subjects. Statistical analysis: Proportions and Chi-square test. Result: All theparticipants had a positive attitude regarding safe management of biomedical waste. Awareness regardingguidelines laid down by the Government of India on biomedical waste management was 95.65%, 96.70% and100% in GNM, B.Sc and M.Sc nursing students, respectively. All the participants were aware about differentcolored bags used to dispose of different types of bio medical waste. Majority of the students had adequateknowledge on biomedical waste management and disposal techniques. Conclusion: On the basis of thefindings of the study it is concluded that knowledge and practices of biomedical waste management amongthe nursing students were adequate and there is a strict protocol regarding BMW management in theconcerned college & hospital. Recommendations: Since the students had positive attitude towards safemanagement of biomedical waste; further workshops and trainings related to proper biomedical wastemanagement would be a step forward towards attaining a healthy environment for the future.