Special FeatureReducing Waste in the Clinical SettingWohlford, Sara MPH, RN; Esteves-Fuentes, Nathalia MHA, BS; Carter, Kimberly Ferren PhD, RN, NEA-BC Author Information Sara Wohlford is the efficiency and sustainability program manager in the sustainability department of the Carilion Clinic in Roanoke, VA, where Kimberly Ferren Carter is senior director of nursing research, evidence-based practice, and excellence. At the time of this writing, Nathalia Esteves-Fuentes was the efficiency and sustainability coordinator in the sustainability department of the Carilion Clinic. Contact author: Sara Wohlford, [email protected]. The authors have disclosed no potential conflicts of interest, financial or otherwise. A podcast with the authors is available at www.ajnonline.com. AJN, American Journal of Nursing 120(6):p 48-55, June 2020. | DOI: 10.1097/01.NAJ.0000668744.36106.24 Buy Metrics AbstractIn Brief Nurses have the capacity and opportunity to alter their organization's environmental footprint. This article addresses how they can strengthen efficiency and environmental sustainability initiatives in their facilities by engaging in, monitoring, and supporting environmentally friendly clinical practices and programs at the point of care. Included are practical tips and examples of projects in which nurses identified sources of waste—the relaundering of unused linens; disposal of unused products; and improper sorting of pharmaceutical waste, recycling, and regulated medical waste—and realized significant cost savings as well as improved efficiency and environmental sustainability. This article—winner of the 2019 Nurse Faculty Scholars/AJN Mentored Writing Award—describes how nurses can promote workplace environmental sustainability initiatives in three areas: linen efficiency, supply waste reduction, and proper waste sorting. Copyright © 2020 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.
