Hygiene and waste management practices in healthcare facilities: Toward sustainable nursing care. A cross-sectional survey.
Keywords:
Nursing practice, Environmental sustainability, Hygiene management, Waste disposal, Sustainable healthcare, Nursing leadershipAbstract
Background: Hygiene practices in healthcare settings are crucial for infection prevention, patient safety, and they have significant public health and environmental implications. Routine patient-care activities generate substantial healthcare waste, contributing to the ecological footprint. This multicentre, cross-sectional observational study investigated patient hygiene management and waste disposal in healthcare facilities, focusing on nursing and midwifery coordinators’ practices, knowledge, awareness. Methods:. An anonymous online survey was conducted between April and December 2024 among coordinators from eleven public and private healthcare facilities in Apulia, Southern Italy. Data included organizational protocols, hygiene practices, and waste management procedures. Descriptive statistics and Chi-square tests were used, with p < 0.05 considered significant. Results: 123 coordinators participated. Sixty-five percent (n = 79) reported absence of hygiene protocols, 71.5% (n = 88) lacked standard operating procedures. Liquid soap was used by 58% (n = 72) and single-use soaped gloves by 41.5% (n = 51) . Urban-like waste management protocols were present in 79.7% (n = 98) of units. Refillable dispensers and reusable bottles were used in 30.1% (n = 37) of units, while 69.1% (n = 85) disposed of residual detergents into the sewage system. Refillable dispensers were in 21.6% (n = 8) of ICUs, 42.3% (n = 16) of surgical wards, and 35.1% (n = 13) of medical and long-term care wards. The source of hygiene products for self-sufficient patients differed significantly across clinical areas (χ² = 10.91, df = 2, p = 0.013). Discussion: Considerable variability exists in hygiene practices and waste management across clinical areas, with gaps in protocol availability and adherence. Environmental sustainability remains inconsistently addressed. Coordinators play a strategic role in improving standardization and promoting sustainable practices. Implementing standardized, evidence-based hygiene protocols, staff training, and sustainable waste-management practices, is essential to improve patient safety, infection prevention, and environmental sustainability in healthcare facilities.
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