Abstract
Background: Healthcare waste (HCW) generated in healthcare facilities poses significant public health risks if not properly managed. Effective waste treatment depends largely on proper segregation and containerisation. This study assessed the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of nursing and midwifery students at KNUST regarding HCW segregation and containerisation, and identified factors associated with improper practices. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 270 nursing and midwifery students from the Department of Nursing, KNUST, comprising 90 second-year, 90 third-year, and 90 final-year students with clinical exposure. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analysed descriptively using SPSS. Results: Overall, 56.3% of participants were aware of the different categories of HCW, but only 35.9% demonstrated correct segregation practice at source of waste generation. The proportion of respondents who disagreed with the statement that healthcare waste (HCW) segregation is not the responsibility of nurses increased progressively across academic years. Disagreement rose from 53.3% among second-year students to 66.7% among third-year students and 77.8% among fourth-year students. While students generally exhibited a positive attitude towards HCW segregation, only 30.7% reported regularly adhering to the correct colour coding during practice. Conclusion: The study revealed generally low levels of knowledge and practice of HCW segregation and containerisation among nursing and midwifery students across all year groups, despite their positive attitudes. Continuous education and reinforcement of proper HCW management practices are recommended to improve compliance and reduce public health risks.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 2678-2684 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation |
| Volume | 12 |
| Issue number | 15 |
| Early online date | 3 Dec 2025 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | E-pub ahead of print - 3 Dec 2025 |
Bibliographical note
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Articles are published under the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), allowing others to share and adapt the work with proper attribution
UN SDGs
This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
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SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being -
SDG 12 Responsible Consumption and Production
Keywords
- Healthcare waste
- waste segregation
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