Healthcare Waste Management: connections with sustainable nursing care.
Maria José Carvalho Ferreira, Carla Aparecida Arena Ventura, Glaucia Valente Valadares and 3 others
PMID 39475389WHAT IT FOUND
Nurses and technicians at a Brazilian hospital linked sustainable care to waste management, identifying gaps in training, container labeling, and material auditing.
They described supervision and regular education as key to reducing waste without compromising patient safety.
Key findings
01Participants identified a lack of control over material usage and the need for auditing to prevent waste and shortages.
02Nurses and technicians highlighted the importance of clear identification of waste containers to ensure proper segregation and reduce contamination risks.
03Participants reported a lack of specific training on waste disposal and emphasized the need for regular, cyclical education to maintain awareness.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study was conducted in a single federal university hospital in Brazil, which may have specific educational cultures and resources not representative of other settings. Participants were selected via convenience sampling, which may introduce bias. The results rely on self-reported perceptions and experiences from interviews, which may not reflect actual waste management practices or outcomes. The study did not include other healthcare team members (e.g., physicians, cleaners) whose roles are integral to waste management, limiting the systemic view.
Declared interests
The authors declared no personal or professional conflicts of interest. The work was supported by CAPES (Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - Brazil).
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret these themes as evidence that specific interventions (like bin labeling or training) will quantitatively reduce waste or costs; the study reports perceptions and identified gaps, not measured outcomes.