September 27, 2023

The Role of Sharps Waste Management Solutions in Nursing Staff Safety and Satisfaction

Nurses are integral stakeholders in the management of sharps waste, but if nurses must deal with full sharp containers, it can take them away from patient care and may increase the risk of needlestick injuries. 

To dig deeper into the challenges nurses face and the role that medical waste management partners can play, Stericycle sponsored an independently administered nationwide blind survey of 125 randomly selected nurses in hospital and outpatient settings.

Highlights from the white paper:

  • Nurses handle sharps waste frequently during their workday, and according to a 2021 survey, nurses accounted for approximately 40% of needlestick injuries experienced in certain healthcare settings 
  • Efficient, reliable sharps waste management solutions can help alleviate nurses’ workloads by reducing the amount of time spent exchanging full sharps containers
  • A full-service sharps waste management program can help improve safety by mitigating the risk of needlesticks associated with overfull containers
  • Comprehensive instructional materials can help keep healthcare staff informed and engaged
  • Sharps container design should match nurses’ preferences while contributing to organizational sustainability goals

Download the white paper and learn more about how Stericycle can help with your sharps management

Get the White Paper