Steps to create a Green Team as the Nurse Leader:

Nurses in the role of leadership and or nurse managers, and those in education have a humane role to take that signifies the importance of contributing to a more sustainable planet for the future of healthcare facilities and lessening the amount of waste and may begin looking further at newly used and effective eco-friendly solutions. These nurses are consistently looking for new solutions to age-old problems and are constantly looking at evidence-based practice or EBP guidelines. The steps below identify a framework for creating effective nurse teams that follow practices that promote the success of a more sustainable healthcare association. 

Those in the role of the bedside nurse have a key role to play by accepting adapted or changed solutions, and additionally in reporting back to nurse leaders/managers/educators upon improvements and or challenges they are facing as nurse leaders are not often as hands-on with the adapted changes.  Bedside nurses can report effectiveness and eco-friendly changes that may not be so beneficial and are the first line of action.

Step 1: Identify key green team leaders, who have a passion, for working together with like-minded individuals at all levels to create changes toward a more sustainable hospital facility, community, and nation in a team approach. 

Setup 2: Work to set up initiatives with designated key green team leaders to outline goals to focus efforts on which are specific, time-measurable, and achievable goals. 

Step 3: Map daily ICU processes and procedures, to perform an assessment reviewing current care practices and procedures where areas can be identified to implement green sustainable changes.  

Step 4: Provide reminders often via newsletters, meetings, social media postings, and or board posts focused on sustainability efforts.

Step 5: Promote the success of the new green team by providing ongoing feedback and education to the team, and reevaluate as needed for effectiveness and efficiency.