Purpose: This study aimed to identify the factors affecting the practice of medical waste management of nurses
in tertiary general hospitals after the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Methods: The participants were
154 nurses working in two tert...
Purpose: This study aimed to identify the factors affecting the practice of medical waste management of nurses
in tertiary general hospitals after the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Methods: The participants were
154 nurses working in two tertiary general hospitals. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and
analyzed using an Independent t-test, One-way ANOVA, Scheffé́ test, Pearson correlation coefficients, and
multiple regression analysis using the SPSS/WIN 27.0 program. Results: Factors significantly influencing the
subject's practice of medical waste management include medical waste education(β=.18, p=.013),
recognition of infection control organizational culture (β=.26, p=.007), and attitudes toward medical waste
management (β=.23, p=.011). The explanatory power of these variables for medical waste management
practice was 29.0% (F=7.34, p<.001). Conclusion: To improve the practice of medical waste management,
a strategy to provide positive attitudes toward medical waste management should be needed when developing
medical waste management training programs, and various measures are necessary to make the organizational
culture positive for the implementation of infection control guidelines at the organizational level.