Sustainability interventions in nursing wards
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.
Intervention
Perform bladder catheterization using the no-touch technique instead of sterile catheterization.
Environmental impact
Measured in CO₂ emissions, based on the reduced use of environmentally harmful materials in bladder catheterization.
Implementation approach
Look at the approach for implementing a different method in nursing practice and consult the step-by-step guide for more information on setting goals, implementation, and evaluation.
When is it implemented?
This intervention is implemented when each nursing unit in the hospital uses the clean catheterization guideline and the kg of CO2-equivalent has been calculated.
How is this measured?
Determine the number of bladder catheterizations per year using purchasing data for insertion sets or individual catheters (when sets are not used). Analyze the purchasing data from the previous year and calculate how many insertion sets or catheters were purchased over the course of a year for the nursing units. Fill in the environmental impact calculation tool*.
If not all nursing units have adopted the new method, follow the "measuring intervention with purchasing data" procedure.
Resources
click here for the Radboudumc infographic where they implemented this intervention and saved 2151 kg of waste per year.
click here for a display from the Green OR about the difference in materials between clean catheterization and sterile catheterization.
click here for an information poster published by V&VN.
click here for the bladder catheterization guideline, module 2 insertion.
Footnotes
* The environmental impact calculator follows
- Samenwerkingsverband Richtlijnen Infectiepreventie. (Juli 2024). Richtlijn Blaaskatheterisatie.
Resultaten
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View our other interventions
Monitoring parameters
Reducing blood testing
Blood samples are an essential part of patient care, but they also generate waste and take time. Nurses play an important role at the start of this process and, together with physicians and nurse specialists, can explore ways to reduce the number of blood samples performed.
Nursing practice
Using the same infusion sets on every ward
When hospital departments use different IV systems, IV lines may need to be replaced when a patient is transferred because the systems are not compatible. This leads to unnecessary waste, takes additional time, and can cause discomfort for the patient. A single, standardised IV system prevents this.
General resources
Reducing glove use
Nurses use large quantities of non-sterile gloves during patient care. There are three situations where gloves are required: 1) when caring for patients in isolation 2) when there is a risk of contact with mucous membranes or bodily fluids 3) when preparing certain medications. Wearing gloves as a standard practice is not recommended1. Due to the high consumption rates in hospitals, gloves have a considerable environmental impact2.
