Sustainability interventions in nursing wards
Monitoring parameters
Reusable transport bag for laboratory samples
Nurses collect various samples for diagnostic testing. For transport to the laboratory, different single-use containers such as cups, bags, or kidney trays are currently used and then discarded. A reusable transport container is a more sustainable alternative.
Intervention
Transporting samples from departments to labs with a reusable transport bag. Some hospitals are currently reusing a zippered plastic bag. These are reused until it is visibly contaminated or broken.
Implementation approach
Look at the approach for implementing a (reusable) product and consult the step-by-step guide for more information on setting goals, implementation, and evaluation.
Environmental impact
Measured in CO2 -emissions due to the reuse of the transport bag. Want to know more about the environmental impact? See the bottom of this page for more information.
Current situation
1 time transport with a single means of transport
- Plastic cup 180ml = 0.022 kg CO2-eq
New situation
1 time transport with a reusable* means of transport
- Plastic cup 180ml = 0.004 kg CO2-eq
- Plastic bag 16x25 cm = 0.001 kg CO2-eq
- Pulp of the renal pelvis = 0.002 kg CO2-eq
A plastic bag or kidney basin pulp is more sustainable than a single-use plastic cup when used only once. Reusing a plastic kidney basin is not more sustainable and is therefore not included in the comparison.
* On average, the product is reused 5 times and is not cleaned.
100 times a transport with a reusable bag instead of a single-use cup saves
2.1
kg CO2-eq
and is equivalent to driving 11 km
When is it implemented?
This intervention is considered implemented when nursing units in the hospital have switched to reusable transport bags for transporting samples to the lab, and the difference in CO₂-equivalent (kg) has been calculated. If another reusable transport product is chosen in this intervention, it will count as an implemented intervention. Please contact the program team for options to calculate the CO₂-equivalent in kg.
How is this measured?
The environmental impact of this intervention can be determined using purchasing data for the number of disposable transport products used for the intervention, see the procedure for measuring an intervention using purchasing data.
Resources
Click here for the report on waste research conducted at Erasmus MC, Maastricht UMC, Leiden University Medical Center, and Radboudumc. This report includes the recommendation for a reusable version of the white disposable transport cup.
View our other interventions
Nursing practice
Wound care irrigation with tapwater
For acute wounds (traumatic or surgical), irrigation using a female catheter filled with lukewarm tap water is recommended instead of NaCl 0.9%. This increases patient comfort and reduces material use, as a new sterile NaCl 0.9% bottle or sterile collection tray is no longer needed every 24 hours.
Nursing practice
Reducing maintenance IV flow rate
A maintenance IV with NaCl 0.9% at a flow rate of 5 ml/hour is often used to keep the IV line open for patients not receiving intravenous medication. Reducing the pump rate to 2 ml/hour lowers NaCl 0.9% use, allowing for smaller infusion bags or less frequent bag replacement. This is more sustainable and reduces material consumption.
Verpleegkundig handelen
Non-sterile bladder catheter insertion
Since July 2024, bladder catheterisation may be performed using the new ‘no-touch technique’. In this method, non-sterile gloves are used, and the genital area is cleaned with tap water. This more sustainable approach requires fewer sterile materials and saves time, as the procedure can be performed by a single nurse. With this intervention, nurses put the new guideline into practice.
