Evaluation
The project report submitted by you will be evaluated by an examiner. The project would be assessed out of a total of 50 marks. A minimum of fourty percent marks
has to be scored in the project for being for qualified for the certificate. In case a student does not score the required marks the student will have to repeat the project.
List of Suggested Topics for Project Work
1) Health care Facility Survey to study Health Care Waste Management Practices
- Study of current waste generation patterns, at different points of waste generation – collection, storage, transportation patterns in each are;
- Quantity of different waste streams generated;
- Sharps waste management
- Final disposal options
- Workers safety
- Training and capacity building
- Recommended measures for improvement of the current system
2) Study of Hospital Acquired Infections (HAI) in a Health Care Facility
- Study the kinds of HAIs, reasons for these infections
- General cleanliness and waste disposal pattern in the health care establishment
- Infection control measures taken in areas like ICU, ICCU, OT and labs
- Universal precautions adapted by the health care establishment
- Measures taken for patient safety
- Recommendations to reduce HAI- take proper universal precaution, proper housekeeping measures, orientation and training classes for the staff etc
3) Study Health Care waste Management Practices in Laboratories
Study different kinds of labs, the activities undertaken by them
- Kinds of waste generated by the labs- Solid or Liquid
- Present methods of waste handling and disposal
- Disinfection procedures
- Handling procedure for special waste streams like sharps, chemicals etc.
- Sharps management
- Precautions while handling sharps
- General precautions – Occupation and safety measures
- Recommendations for proper management of lab waste
4) Study Health Hazards Associated with Health Care Waste in a Hospital and in the Community
Hazardous waste disposa
Liquid waste discharge in the near by water bodies
Recommendations to minimize the health hazards
5) Survey of Incinerators
- Function of an incinerator, kinds of incinerator, operational parameters, environment pollution control devices
- Economics of operations
- Health and environment hazard associated with operation of incinerator
- Alternative environment friendly technologies available
- Existing legislation on incineration
At district level study
Number of incinerators installed in the district
- Kind and capacity of incinerators [ total number of incinerators (single/double chamber), manufacturing details].
Other operational parameter- Years of operation, kind of waste treated in the incinerators, operated on electricity or oil, amount of oil consumed, hours of operation, location of the incinerator, worker safety, alternatives available
Hazards due to incinerators
- Recommendations for minimizing hazards due to incineration, rationale for installing incinerators and steps to minimize use of incinerators
6) Study Health Hazards on Waste Pickers Handling Health Care Wast
Study the incidence of needle stick injuries in waste pickers
- Occurrence of diseases like HBV, HCV
- Exposure to heavy metals
- Health impact on waste pickers due to health care waste handling
If possible, for assessing the health impact of waste, laboratory test for screening of infectious diseases and load of heavy metals should be carried out.
Recommendations forSafety precautions, disinfection/mutilation of waste before final disposal, from the health care facilities, recognizing the waste pickers as an important part of hospital waste management in developing countries, regular health checkups.
7) KAP (Knowledge, Attitude and Practice) Study of Nursing Staff in OT, Acute Surgical Wards and ICUs on Health Care Waste Management
Study shall focus on nursing staff in OT, surgical ward and ICU, their attitude towards waste management, knowledge of waste management and practices followed. Information can be gathered through a structured questionnaire.
Based on the findings the recommendation/suggestions should be drawn which will further help in enhance the skills of the nursing staff in waste handling.
8) Conduct a Study on the 3Rs Principle (Reduce, Reuse and Recycling Practices in a Hospital)
The present practices of waste management in the institute, are any of 3Rs principles followed in the hospital.
- Area specific observation like in : Kitchen : use of reusable utensils, reduce the use of plastic and foils, reuse the create and use of earthen pottery, Radiology : Silver recovery system, OT and ICU: Reusable grown, mask and shoes.
Recommendations on the applications of the 3Rs principle in the health care facility like:
Reuse of waste collection containers
-- Reduce the use of plastics
-- Reduce the use of injections (rational of using injection)
-- Reduce use of disposable in labs like for culture plates
-- Recycling of plastic (after segregation, disinfections and mutilation)
-- Recycling cartons, papers, office waste, use of double side papers etc.
9) Conduct a Study on Radioactive Waste Generation and Health Hazards
For the study preferably a cancer super specialty hospital should be selected:
- Study the structure of the hospital: Chemotherapy unit and radiotherapy unit
- Laws (regulations) for radioactive waste disposal
- Kinds of radioactive substances used, and their half-life. Precaution taken by the patients/doctor while providing radiotherapy installation, preventive clothing /batches etc.
- Where is the radioactive waste stored and means of disposal
- Any case study due to leakage, improper handling of radioactive waste
- Health hazards associated with radioactive waste
- Recommendation for proper radioactive waste management
10) Conduct a Survey of Needle Stick Injuries in Different Health Care Providers
Survey of doctors, nurse, ANMs, paramedics, waste handlers and technology operators for needle sticks.
Present system of handling, transportation and disposing injection units and other sharps at the point of generation, secondary collection and final treatment and disposal site.
Circumstances leading to needle stick injuries.
- Immunisations if any to the health care providers
- Recommendations on universal precaution and immunization of health care workers
11) Mercury in Health Care Facility
List different mercury based instruments used in the health care facility
- Mercury spills – reasons and frequency
- Method of disposal of mercury
- Any system for containment of spills/ collection of mercury
- Hazards due to mercury in humans
- Recommendation for alternative to mercury
12) Patient Safety and Health Care Waste Management
Concept of patient safety
- Infection control and patient safety
- Importance of universal precautions specially hand washing
- Health care waste management and reduced Hospital Acquired Infection (HAI)
- Recommendations for patient safety and occupational safety.
13) Study Rural Immunization Programmes in Your District and Method of Health Care Waste Management
Kinds of waste generated by the health care settings
- Methods of handling waste
- Collection/Storage and transportation of the waste from the point of generation to the final disposal site in the district
- Recommendation for waste management systems in rural settings
14) Study Legislation and Regulatory Mechanism in your Country.
Study the evolution of the legislation
- Describe the legislation
- Present applicability and enforcement of the legislation
- Enforcement agencies role
- Knowledge of the health care workers about the legislation
- Public reaction about the legislation.
- Recommendations.
15) Study Different Waste Treatment Systems
Study different waste treatment technologies in your facilities
- Kinds of waste treated by each technology
- Cost of establishment, operations and maintenance for each technology
- Environment and health impacts of the waste treatment technologies
- Discuss emerging waste treatment technologies
- Recommendations.
16) Study the Health Hazards of Hospital Waste to Waste Handlers
Study the occupational hazards of waste collection and treatment in different health care providers
- Exposure to mercury spills, glutaraldehyde, etc., their handling and disposal by health care workers
- Study of HAI in a hospital
- Measures for protection of waste handlers against health hazards due to health care waste.
17) Impact of Different Training and Awareness Programmes on Health Care Waste Management
Select a group of health care provides (like doctors, nurses, waste handlers, etc.) for this study
- KAP study of nursing staff
- KAP study of doctors
- Recommendations: Importance of education programmes on health care waste management inclusion into the curriculum of the health care functions.
18) Study of Centralized Facilities in your Region
Study the centralized facility in your region
- Beds/Health care institutions covered by the facility
- Other infrastructural setups
- Collection and transportation patterns
- Cost of waste treatment per bed or per kg of waste
- Any existing legislation pertaining to centralized facilities
- Feedback of the health care institutions about centralized facilities
- Recommendtions.
