The Role of CRNAs in Reduction of Sharps Waste in the Operating Room.

The purpose of this study was to identify and explore certified registered nurse anesthetists' (CRNA) knowledge, current practices, and barriers to proper sharps waste disposal practices in the operating room. Approximately 100 CRNAs who practice anesthesia in the Mid-Atlantic region at 10 different hospitals were given an electronic survey. Forty CRNAs completed the 15-question de novo quantitative descriptive survey. The survey was created by three researchers and five experts in the field to ensure validity. Data were analyzed using the chi-squared test and the Mann-Whitney U test. Thirty-seven percent of respondents reported placing unbroken vials, and 46.4% reported placing empty plastic syringes with needles still attached in sharps containers. Most survey respondents (73.7%) agreed that they had inadequate information creating a knowledge deficit on the proper disposal of sharps and that additional teaching material would be helpful.