Ms Helen Veros1, DR ALEXANDRA GALLAGHER2,3
1St George Public Hospital, Kogarah, Australia, 2Department of Renal Medicine, St George Hospital, Sydney, Australia, 3School of Clinical Medicine, UNSW Medicine & Health St George & Sutherland Clinical Campus, Sydney, Australia
Biography:
I am a Haemodialysis Clinical Nurse Specialist from The St George Public Hospital. I have worked as a Renal Nurse for over 26 years, and I love working as a clinician in direct patient care. I am also very passionate about sustainability and caring for the environment and have become a part of a three-year project with The NSW Ministry of Health Net Zero initiative to decarbonise high carbon areas of Renal. I hope to make a difference in Green Nephrology.
Abstract:
Introduction
As a Ministry of Health Net Zero initiative to decarbonise high carbon areas of Renal, cannulation procedures were streamlined to eliminate redundant equipment and decrease the carbon footprint in the St George Haemodialysis Unit, whilst maintaining high value care.
Aim
The aim was to transition from sterile fields and sterile gloves to Aseptic non touch technique (ANTT).
Method
A 6-day audit was undertaken to record how many consumables were used during a dialysis session.
Dressing packs, cannulas, 10ml saline ampoules, 10ml and 3ml syringes, 18g and 21g needles, sterile gloves, aprons, 1L saline bags and bluey sheets were measured.
The transition included revising the Workplace Instructions in conjunction with the Vascular CNCs, Renal Educator, Nursing Unit Manager and nephrologists, holding in-services for staff and recruiting two champions to educate and supervise.
Results
It was found that 181 dressing packs, 363 10ml syringes,344 10 ml Salines,169 drawing up needles,195 pairs of gloves were consumed.
The transition removed the use of dressing packs and sterile gloves, and Prefilled Saline syringes replaced the 10ml saline, syringes and drawing up needle.
A one-month audit showed 100% compliance with the new Workplace Instructions. No difference was seen in clinical outcomes (e.g. Blood Stream Infection (BSI)rates)
Conclusion
Overall, 46228 single use items from dressing packs and 6864 pairs of gloves were saved from landfill per year from our incentre unit alone.
Audits showed that we were able to eliminate redundant waste whilst maintaining a high level of care and no increase in blood stream infections.