Impact Assessment of the Training Conducted in the Past on Health Care Waste Management

Abstract

Background: Nepal Health Research Council (NHRC) has conducted various activities like workshop, seminar, research, training etc related to medical waste management. In the past it had organized two trainings regarding health care waste management. As a follow up of those past trainings, NHRC carried out this study to evaluate the impact of these past trainings. Methods: For this study two sectors were chosen i.e. health care waste management staff and health care institution. Ten health care institutions were selected out of 23 health care institutions which covered government hospital, teaching hospital, nursing home, missionary hospital and some specific hospitals like maternity, eye and tropical disease. In each health care institution, a study was conducted within 10 each trained and non-trained staff to evaluate the knowledge, their attitude and practice. Similarly another survey was done with trained staff to find the past and present situation of waste management practice in health care institutions. Results: The impact of training was found to be positive on both to increase the knowledge of the staffs as well as in the waste management practice in the health care institutions. After the training, there was positive improvement in waste segregation, collection, inside transportation and safety precautions however there was not much improvement found in offside transportation and collection, treatment, disposal and record keeping sectors. Conclusions: The training should cover more detail and complete process for the management of all categories of waste. Health care institution committee staff should be invited as they are the decision-maker to change or improvement in any system in the institution. Keywords: assessment; attitude; health care waste management; impact; knowledge; Nepal health research council; practice; training.