a more sustainable approach to medical supplies?

[ferminadaza]

I'm wondering if anyone has witnessed any effort towards using more biodegradable supplies and/or reducing material waste at the hospital where you work?

We've been using cardboard urinals in place of plastic ones lately... because, apparently, there's a national shortage of plastic urinals.

I'd like to approach the powers-at-be about making this a permanent change, and perhaps brainstorm other ways we could mitigate our environmental impact.

[Asystole RN]

There are lots of efforts that are ongoing from the manufacturers and the hospitals.

Many GPOs and IDNs including Kaiser and Cincinnati have very strong sustainability programs when it comes to medical devices.

Most hospitals that are building anything new will go for a LEED certification as well.

The interesting thing I have found it that the manufacturers and hospitals will generally not advertise their efforts for fear of sounding "gimmicky."

I know what you are probably thinking about those disposable paper urinals, the funny thing is that is one of the few truly sustainable things you use in the hospital.

Paper products, oddly enough, is one of the few sustainable resources in the United States. In part because of the massive sustainable forestry programs and the fact that making paper products is relatively low energy intensive.

I used to work with a massive recycler in the Southwestern United States, largest in the region in fact. They would simply throw away 100% of the paper they received since there was negative money in processing it.

You know how your hospital is always changing products and consolidating what products they buy within the system, a lot of that is related to sustainability.

Best thing you can do is ask what your hospital is doing.