Healthcare Waste Management Quiz

Prayer Before Class

• The prayer requests guidance and wisdom for the learning process
• It asks for the Holy Spirit to dispel ignorance and sin
• The prayer requests understanding, a good memory, and the ability to express oneself effectively
• The prayer requests successful completion of the work

Unit 6: Healthcare Waste Management

• The unit is part of Principles of Medical Technology practice 1
• The topic is healthcare waste management
• The outline for the unit includes:
  • Definition and categories of healthcare waste
  • Impact of healthcare waste
  • Healthcare waste management system
  • Reuse, recovery, and recycling
  • Legal issues and local regulatory agencies

Learning Outcome

• Students will classify biomedical and hazardous wastes
• Students will explain methods for proper healthcare waste management

Healthcare Wastes

• 75-90% of healthcare waste is not hazardous.
• 10-25% of healthcare waste is hazardous and may be infectious, toxic, or radioactive.
• Healthcare wastes are produced in various activities

Healthcare Wastes List

• Diagnosis, treatment, and immunization of humans
• Research pertaining to diagnosis, treatment, and immunization of humans, including research using laboratory animals geared towards improving human health.
• Production and testing of biological products
• Other activities performed by a healthcare facility that generate wastes

Healthcare Facilities' Role

• All healthcare facilities must ensure there are no health impacts or environmental consequences resulting from the generation, segregation, collection, storage, transport, treatment, and disposal waste.

Healthcare Waste Generators

• Hospitals and medical centers
• Infirmaries
• Birthing homes
• Clinics and other healthcare facilities: Medical Ambulatory Dialysis Healthcare centers and dispensaries Surgical Alternative medicine Dental Veterinary
• Laboratories and research centers Medical and biomedical laboratories Medical research centers Blood banks and blood collection services Dental prosthetic laboratories Nuclear medicine laboratories Biotechnology laboratories Animal research and testing laboratories Drug testing laboratories HIV testing laboratories
• Drug manufacturers Drug rehabilitation centers Training centers for embalmers Medical technology internship training centers Schools of radiologic technology Medical schools Nursing homes Dental schools
• Mortuary and autopsy centers

Categories of Healthcare Wastes

• Hazardous:

  • Sharps
  • Infectious
  • Pathological
  • Anatomical
  • Pharmaceutical
  • Genotoxic
  • Chemical
  • Radioactive
  • Pressurized containers

• Non-Hazardous (General):

  • Recyclable
  • Biodegradable
  • Residual

• Infectious Waste:

  • Cultures and stocks of infectious agents (laboratory work)
  • Waste from surgeries and autopsies on patients with infectious diseases
  • Waste from infected patients in isolation wards
  • Waste from patients undergoing hemodialysis
  • Infected animals in research labs
  • Materials that have been in contact with infected persons or animals.

• Pathological and Anatomical Waste:

  • Tissues and body fluids or organs (biopsies, autopsies, or surgical procedures)

• Sharps waste:

  • Needles, syringes, scalpels, saws, blades, broken glass, and knives.

• Chemical Waste:

  • Laboratory reagents
  • X-ray film developing solutions
  • Disinfectants and soaking solutions
  • Used batteries
  • Concentrated ammonia solutions
  • Concentrated hydrogen peroxide
  • Chlorine
  • Mercury

• Chemical Wastes (Hazards):

  • Toxic
  • Corrosive
  • Flammable
  • Reactive
  • Oxidizing

• Pharmaceutical Waste: Expired, split, and contaminated pharmaceutical products, drugs, vaccines, and sera.

• Genotoxic and Cytotoxic Waste: Materials with mutagenic, teratogenic, or carcinogenic properties, such as: Urine, feces, vomit from patients treated with cytotoxic drugs Antineoplastic and cytotoxic drugs.

• Radioactive Waste: Waste exposed to radionuclides (radioactive diagnostic materials or radiotherapeutic materials) Residues from shipment of radioactive materials Unwanted solutions of radionuclides (intended for diagnostic or therapeutic use) Liquids, gases, and solids contaminated with radionuclides (genotoxic effects)

• Recyclable General Waste: Paper products, Aluminum, Plastics, Glass, and Wood

• Biodegradable General Waste: Kitchen waste, Leftover food of patients, Flowers, and Garden waste

• Biodegradable General Waste: General wastes that don't fall into the previous categories

Impact of Healthcare Wastes

• Impacts on healthcare facility staff, patients in healthcare facilities, visitors to healthcare facilities, workers supporting and providing allied services or transporting waste, waste management facility workers, and the general public
• Risks of injuries and infections through waste exposure
• Potential spread of drug-resistant microorganisms
• Chronic and acute exposure to waste

Adverse Health Outcomes

• Sharp-inflicted injuries
• Toxic exposure to pharmaceutical products (antibiotics, cytotoxic drugs)
• Air pollution during medical waste incineration
• Chemical burns from disinfection and sterilization processes
• Thermal injuries during incineration processes
• Radiation burns
• Contamination of drinking water
• Release of chemical substances into the environment from improper waste handling and storage
• Disposal of healthcare wastes in landfills leading to environmental pollution

Alternatives to Incineration

• Autoclaving, Microwaving, and Steam treatment

Benefits of Proper Waste Management

• Protection of patients, healthcare workers, and the general population.
• Contribution to collaborative international efforts to conserve the environment
• Increased compliance with healthcare institution regulations
• Reduced long-term liabilities and protection of reputation from possible violations

Assignment

• Answer pages 189, 190, 211, and 212 of "Principles of Medical Laboratory Science 1" by Benitez
• By November 26, 2024, at 12:00 noon

References

• The references section lists a book and a web link, with information about topics covered in the unit.

Test your knowledge on healthcare waste management with this quiz. Questions cover the various types of healthcare waste, categories of waste generators, and hazardous waste characteristics. Perfect for students and professionals in the healthcare sector.