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Hi all,
I would like to post to the group how staff promote correct waste segregation and particularly clinical waste
At our facility, we are struggling to maintain clarity of what should and shouldn’t go in the clinical waste bin (ie. Urine-soaked pads, faeces, glass and chemo drugs are amongst the most commonly confused). Bins are continually full of unnecessary items. We have 80-90% agency staff so the turnover is relentless, which I imagine you can empathise with.
What strategies do other sites have to provide clarity and ease?
Do you use clear diagrams, regular education, posters? (I find our team have significant poster fatigue!)
Any promotional strategies you may suggest would be greatly appreciated 🙂
Hi Victoria,
A challenging situation.
Some things Ive tried in the past:
Consider: Undertake a waste managment audit to identify all areas of risk and concern. Feel free to use the aged care template: https://www.acipc.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Waste-Managment-Audit-FULL.pdf
Consider: Sharing audit results with the team – take pics and share concerns. Address the consequences of this for others = personal injury, infection transmission, morbidity, incorrect transport, incorrect destruction or land waste placement = contamination of environment – could one day affect them or their family.
Consider: What is in the onboarding and annual education – does this cover waste management with clear defined division of different types of waste – if not can it be included?
Consider: Asking your team (survey or short interview)- what education have they had and what would they need? There involvment will spark an interest for them. While giving you feed back on where a gap may be in learning and education.
Consider: Providing waste education session to regular staff and long term agency, perhaps after a staff meeting ( everyone there) and have it minuted-there is a great VICNISS document that has some great waste flow paths and scenarios that can be used – it is hospital based but sends a clear message. https://www.vicniss.org.au/media/2129/clinical-waste-guidelines-supplement-for-healthcare-staff.pdf
There is also the aged care waste PowerPoint and presentation on the aged care in focus webpage- I am just about to update this next week. : https://www.acipc.org.au/members/ipc-in-aged-care/
Consider: Re posters: they can become just noise – location and positioning are high consideration. Placing what should and should not go in the bin poster above the bin – this will differ in accordance with the bin type. Use red X for no and green tick for yes, use pictures – placing in a table is effective. Ensure the posters are laminated.
Consider: Once you trial a few strategies like above, repeat the waste management audit and see if there is an improvement. If there is share this with your team with praise and recognition. Where further improvement is required, reinforment of practice may be required on the floor by IPC lead or person undertaking IPC or differring strategies put into place.
This is a great tip for the development of aged care IPC resources – thank you. I will aim to have something up in the aged care resource template page next week: https://www.acipc.org.au/aged-care/aged-care-ipc-templates-and-tools/
Good luck
