Practical knowledge of medical waste management and some related factors of nurses at Hai Phong Medical University Hospital in 2023

Objective: To describe the practical knowledge of medical waste management of nurses at Hai Phong Medical University Hospital in 2023 and some related factors. Subjects and Research Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on 83 nurses in clinical departments of Hai Phong Medical University Hospital. Results: The nurses' general practical knowledge of medical waste classification was correct at 42.2%. The nurses' general practical knowledge of bag/bin color was correct at 73.5%. The nurses' correct practical knowledge of recognizing medical waste symbols on medical waste bags/bins was 77.1%. The proportion of nurses with correct practical knowledge of medical waste collection frequency and medical waste classification topics was 90.4% and 92.8%, respectively. The nurses' general practical knowledge of medical waste management was 77.1%. The proportion of surgical nurses with incorrect knowledge of medical waste classification was higher than that of internal nurses, 72.7% and 48%, respectively (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The nurses' general practical knowledge of medical waste management was 77.1%. Surgical nurses have lower practical knowledge of medical waste classification than internal nurses.