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Does my practice environment have a Green Team?
Does my practice environment have a Green Team?
No, However, my company did decrease the occupied space in buildings over the past 2 years leading to decreased building energy use, we use reusable supplies at the home office, and decreased emissions from driving to and from a building. I will for this discussion, discuss a sustainability team in a hospital setting.
No, However, my company did decrease the occupied space in buildings over the past 2 years leading to decreased building energy use, we use reusable supplies at the home office, and decreased emissions from driving to and from a building. I will for this discussion, discuss a sustainability team in a hospital setting.
What does it mean to go green?
What does it mean to go green?
A hospital that chooses to go green focuses on recycling, reusing, reducing, and producing cleaner air. According to AAMCNews, Health care facilities account for 11 percent of all commercial use of energy annually. (Jablow 2016)
A hospital that chooses to go green focuses on recycling, reusing, reducing, and producing cleaner air. According to AAMCNews, Health care facilities account for 11 percent of all commercial use of energy annually. (Jablow 2016)
How would you go about creating a Green Team?
How would you go about creating a Green Team?
According to, Practice Greenhealth Step-by-step Guide, the first step to creating a green team is to establish leadership advocacy and they added to treat the greening initiative like any other business strategy. (Practice Green Health 2008 p. 3)
According to, Practice Greenhealth Step-by-step Guide, the first step to creating a green team is to establish leadership advocacy and they added to treat the greening initiative like any other business strategy. (Practice Green Health 2008 p. 3)
According to Harris, The green team is often leading the charge internally in creating a green culture and becoming a more eco-friendly, safer, caring and efficient business. He states, there are 2 main areas of responsibility: operations and culture. Operations includes developing strategies and changes to policies, where culture requires employee participation.
According to Harris, The green team is often leading the charge internally in creating a green culture and becoming a more eco-friendly, safer, caring and efficient business. He states, there are 2 main areas of responsibility: operations and culture. Operations includes developing strategies and changes to policies, where culture requires employee participation.
- Develop small and diverse teams
- Identify and invite passionate employees
- Evaluate where the company stands
- Prioritize Initiatives and Goals
- Keep things simple at first (Harris 2020)
https://edsurge.imgix.net/uploads/post/image/6226/Together-1444863289.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&w=2000&h=810&fit=crop
https://www.facebook.com/eveshamgreenteam/photos/a.149716048926992/154397348458862/?__tn__=%3C
Who would be involved?
Who would be involved?
The Sustainability Roadmap for Hospitals suggests the following departments to be apart of the green team outside of Senior leadership;
The Sustainability Roadmap for Hospitals suggests the following departments to be apart of the green team outside of Senior leadership;
Environmental services (including key waste handlers and supervisors)
Safety
Facilities
Nursing and medical staff
Infection control
Purchasing/materials management
Radiology
Laboratory
Staff from other key clinical departments
Ad-hoc members, as needed (American Hospital Association 2015)
What would the nurses' role be?
What would the nurses' role be?
Anaker & Elf completed a concept and data analysis resulting in the following information. They stated, the term (sustainability) is not clearly defined and is poorly researched in nursing. However, went on to illustrate that, sustainable development creates conditions that allow populations to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. Subsequently, nurses should support actions to reduce global warming and climate change and their associated impacts on health. Nurses should raise awareness of the health implications of climate change and should assess and address the subsequent health risks. (Anaker & Elf 2014) For me personally, reading this statement clicked a light bulb in my head on. I am a avid adorer of Florence Nightingale and her theme throughout carry for her patients focused on there environment. Although, before I would relate that to a direct environment such a the room they are in, the house, immediate community. This statement caused me to think broader. However, they continued to note the useful examples of sustainability in nursing and they are as follows, waste reduction, recycling plan, medical products and medication disposal, table residue clean-up, and air quality. They encourage nurses to have environmental awareness. (Anaker & Elf 2014)
Anaker & Elf completed a concept and data analysis resulting in the following information. They stated, the term (sustainability) is not clearly defined and is poorly researched in nursing. However, went on to illustrate that, sustainable development creates conditions that allow populations to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. Subsequently, nurses should support actions to reduce global warming and climate change and their associated impacts on health. Nurses should raise awareness of the health implications of climate change and should assess and address the subsequent health risks. (Anaker & Elf 2014) For me personally, reading this statement clicked a light bulb in my head on. I am a avid adorer of Florence Nightingale and her theme throughout carry for her patients focused on there environment. Although, before I would relate that to a direct environment such a the room they are in, the house, immediate community. This statement caused me to think broader. However, they continued to note the useful examples of sustainability in nursing and they are as follows, waste reduction, recycling plan, medical products and medication disposal, table residue clean-up, and air quality. They encourage nurses to have environmental awareness. (Anaker & Elf 2014)
https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2016/03/31/18/41/face-1294558_960_720.png
Even if we decide to start with small personal changes the following list may help. Perkins, put it like this, sustainability involves humans taking steps to maintain a healthy relationship with our current ecosystem while making sure we're not stopping future generations from meeting their needs. (Perkins 2019) The following is a list Perkins outlined that can make a difference according to the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments:
Even if we decide to start with small personal changes the following list may help. Perkins, put it like this, sustainability involves humans taking steps to maintain a healthy relationship with our current ecosystem while making sure we're not stopping future generations from meeting their needs. (Perkins 2019) The following is a list Perkins outlined that can make a difference according to the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments:
Save Energy: Simple as flipping a switch
Save Energy: Simple as flipping a switch
Rethink your commute: Carpool
Rethink your commute: Carpool
Recycle: Use a refillable/reusable water bottle
Recycle: Use a refillable/reusable water bottle
Do your research: once you know more you can propose alternatives
Do your research: once you know more you can propose alternatives
Be an Advocate...(Perkins 2019)
Be an Advocate...(Perkins 2019)
References
American Hospital Association (2015) Sustainability Roadmap for Hospitals. A guide to achieving your sustainability goals. Building Sustainability Teams. http://www.sustainabilityroadmap.org/strategies/greenteam.shtml#.ZBpGRXbMKUk
Anåker, A., & Elf, M. (2014). Sustainability in nursing: a concept analysis. Scandinavian journal of caring sciences, 28(2), 381–389. https://doi.org/10.1111/scs.12121
Green Grass with feet picture. Retrieved on: 3/21/2023. https://edsurge.imgix.net/uploads/post/image/6226/Together-1444863289.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&w=2000&h=810&fit=crop
Green Tree Picture. Retrieved on: 3/21/2023. https://www.facebook.com/eveshamgreenteam/photos/a.149716048926992/154397348458862/?__tn__=%3C
Harris, Sam (2020) 10 Best Ways to Build and Manage a Green Team or Sustainable Committee. Green Team. https://greenbusinessbureau.com/topics/green-team/10-best-ways-to-build-and-manage-a-green-team/
Jablow, Martha M. (2016) AAMCNews. Teaching Hospital to Go Green. https://www.aamc.org/news-insights/teaching-hospitals-go-green
Picture of Nurse. Retrieved on: 3/21/2023. https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2016/03/31/18/41/face-1294558_960_720.png
Perkins, Shari (2019) The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. 5 ways nurses can lead the charge for sustainability. Pulse. https://www.ajc.com/lifestyles/ways-nurses-can-lead-the-charge-for-sustainability/5mfKKqbUzfJC0mrxJwaOjN/
Practice Greenhealth. (2008) A Practice Greenhealth Step-by-Step Guide. Sustainable Operations Series. https://practicegreenhealth.org/sites/default/files/pubs/epp/GuideGreenTeams.pdf
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