Safety First: Nurses’ Role in Helping to Dispose of Medical Waste

While working in health care facilities, nurses are used to disposing of medical waste. It’s a part of the job. There are ways, though, to help with this in your communities as well. We interviewed Maricha Ellis, Vice President, Sales and Marketing Operations for Stericycle Environmental Solutions for more information on how you can help. What follows is an edited version of the interview.

Why is it important for nurses to have a role in medical waste disposal? What is that role?

Opioid drug-related overdose has risen steadily over the past two decades, becoming one of the leading causes of death in the United States. According to a recent study, more than 240 million prescriptions were written for opioids in one year. That’s enough to give every American adult their own pill bottle. As health care providers practicing on the front lines of the opioid epidemic, registered nurses play a central role in addressing this crisis. Nurses are qualified and well-positioned to play a leading role in not only diagnosing and managing patients in pain, but educating patients on proper storage and disposal techniques. The current crisis calls for support and focus from nurses through patient education. By pointing patients to drug takeback resources, such as safe and anonymous medication collection kiosks publicly available in the local area, nurses can prevent prescription opioids from reaching unintended individuals.

Is Stericycle Environmental Solutions focusing on nurses in hospitals? Or in various health care facilities?

Nurses in any health care facility can be a part of the solution, as the problem is not limited to hospitals alone. We welcome all nurses and health care facilities to participate.

How can nurses go about helping their communities regarding the safe disposal of medical waste? 

The best way nurses can be a part of the solution to the nation’s opioid epidemic is by educating their patients on how they can reduce opioid risk for themselves, their families, and their communities. In order to prevent prescription opioids from falling into the wrong hands, opioid prescription storage and disposal techniques should be addressed at the time of prescribing, disbursement, and during follow-up care planning:

• Safe storage of prescription opioids

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention encourages patients to store medications out of children’s reach and sight and to lock the safety cap consistently after each use. Patients also should store medicines in a locked cabinet between doses and keep medications in their original containers, to prevent unintended use.

• Safe disposal of unused or expired opioids

All expired and unused medications should be removed from the home quickly to reduce the chance of misuse. The safest and most environmentally friendly way to dispose of unused prescriptions is through medication takeback programs. In addition to permanent DEA-registered collection sites—including retail and hospital pharmacies, law enforcement facilities, and other organizations—there are periodic local and national takeback events. Medication collection envelopes are another safe and convenient method for consumers to return unwanted medication.

Tell me about the Medication Collection Kiosks and Seal&Send Medication Envelopes.

Stericycle Environmental Solutions’ takeback suite helps nurses keep their communities safe. Unused prescription medications can fall into the wrong hands, potentially poisoning or killing a loved one. Stericycle’s award-winning takeback suite features Seal&Send Medication Envelopes and Medication Collection Kiosks, making it convenient for consumers to safely return unwanted medication. Seal&Send Medication MailBack Envelopes provide a safe and convenient option for consumers to dispose of their unused or expired drugs by filling a pre-addressed envelope with pharmaceutical waste and dropping it into any USPS mailbox. These DEA-compliant 8×12” envelopes are designed to hold up to 8 oz. of medication, of which 4 oz. may be liquid in a sealed container. Envelopes are U.S. postage-paid, pre-addressed, and include complete instructions. Stericycle will destroy the medication using a process that is secure and safe for the environment. Because of Stericycle’s contributions to the National Safety Council’s traveling Prescribed to Death memorial that launched in November 2017, 8,500 Stericycle envelopes are in use, with millions in production. Stericycle’s envelopes are provided to memorial visitors to help them daily get rid of unused medications. Similarly, Medication Collection Kiosks offer a reliable, anonymous outlet for consumers to dispose of unwanted drugs in a safe place within their communities.

How can nurses and patients get the envelopes? Is there a charge for them?

Nurses and patients can order a free pack of three envelopes from the National Safety Council, as well as other free resources to reduce opioid risk. Additionally, nurses and the health care facilities in which they work can purchase packs of 50 envelopes from Stericycle here. Larger quantities are also available. [For more information and pricing, readers can contact Stericycle at [email protected] or 877-787-0375.]

How will nurses helping to dispose of medical waste help? 

Because RNs practice in a variety of direct care and executive roles, they are often in a key position to help patients and their families understand proper disposal of opioids following a pain treatment plan. Proper disposal of opioids directly helps patients, their families, and their communities stay safe.

Why is it important that this is happening now?

Proper disposal of unused and expired opioids is especially important as the number of opioid-related deaths continues to rise nationwide. Drug overdose deaths have risen steadily over the past two decades, with drug poisonings propelling unintentional injuries to become the third leading cause of all deaths in the U.S. From 1999 to 2013, the rate for drug poisoning deaths involving opioids nearly quadrupled. The American Nurses Association has a series of helpful resources outlining best practices and proposals for how the situation can be improved on a national level available here.