Identifying the key personnel in a nurse-initiated hospital waste reduction program.
Hospitals in the United States generate more than 6600 tons of trash a day and approximately 85% of the waste is nonhazardous solid waste such as food, cardboard, and plastic. Treatment and management of hospital waste can lead to environmental problems for the communities that receive the waste. One health system's shared governance model provided the foundation to develop a nurse-led hospital waste reduction program that focused on point-of-care waste management. Waste reduction program development required working with a variety of departments within and external to the health system. The interdisciplinary approach informed the development of the waste reduction program. This article identifies the key departments that were necessary to include when developing a hospital waste reduction program.
McDermott-Levy
Ruth
R
College of Nursing, Villanova University, Villanova, Pennsylvania, USA.
Fazzini
Carol
C
D003657:Decision Making; D055772:Green Chemistry Technology; D006801:Humans; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D008506:Medical Waste; D017744:Medical Waste Disposal / Q000379:methods*; D009718:Nurse Administrators / Q000458:organization & administration*; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital; D010564:Personnel, Hospital; D010865:Pilot Projects; D016730:Program Development
D008506:Medical Waste; D017744:Medical Waste Disposal