Waste Management

This course is part of our Foundational Course in Infection Prevention and Control. See below for links to other modules!

Course Overview 

The Virginia Infection Prevention Training Center’s foundational module on Waste Management focuses on the importance of utilizing best practices for effectively managing infectious waste and how to prevent transmission of pathogens. Learners will understand the importance of waste management and how to dispose of various materials safely. 

 

Target Audience

Target audience for this course are healthcare professionals beginning their experience in infection prevention and control training and who have little to no practice in infection prevention and control concepts. 

Audience examples include novice infection preventionists, clinical healthcare professionals, and nonclinical healthcare leaders, such as environmental services managers, who are seeking foundational infection prevention and control knowledge.

 

Overall Learning Objectives

• Describe the management of infectious waste
• Describe best practices for the management of waste from patients with suspected CJD
• Identify special considerations for handling Category A waste

 

Continuing Education Credit

Continuing education (CE) credit is available for this course from 2/20/24 to 2/20/27. To claim credit, please watch this video in its entirety, then visit the VCU Continuing Medical Education activity page to obtain your credit.

How Did We Do?

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Resources

• CDC Guidelines for Environmental Infection Control in Health-Care Facilities: Regulated Medical Waste
• WHO Infection Control Guidelines for Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies
• SHEA Guidelines for Disinfection and Sterilization of Prion-Contaminated Medical Instruments
• CDC: Infection Control for CJD
• SafeNeedleDisposal.org: The leading information resource for medical sharps disposal in the US.
• CDC: Sharps Safety Program Resources
• Virginia Department of Environmental Quality: Regulated Medical Waste
• Managing Solid Waste Contaminated with a Category A Infectious Substance

VIPTC’s Foundational Course in Infection Prevention and Control

The Foundational Course in Infection Prevention & Control is designed for healthcare professionals who require focused education on beginner-level infection prevention and control (IPC) concepts. The goal of the course is to provide specialized training on fundamental infection prevention subjects including vaccines, hand hygiene, microbes, personal protective equipment, waste management, and cleaning/disinfection.

Modules:

• Introduction to Infection Prevention and Control
• Viruses and Bacteria
• Vaccines
• Hand Hygiene
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
• Microbes and Isolation
• Cleaning and Disinfection 
• Waste Management

Visit viptc.vcu.edu to access our full library of on-demand courses, training videos, and infection prevention resources.