Environmental health nursing assessment tools for health care settings

The Institute of Medicine recommends that environmental health be integrated into nursing practice. In a recent national nursing survey, nurses reported a number of common potentially toxic chemical risks during their normal work hours. This presentation will describe assessment tools for identifying environmental health risks in the health care setting which will include the identification of risks that can affect patients, health care workers, and the community at large. The tools have been created by several individuals and organizations, including Health Care Without Harm and Hospitals for a Healthy Environment. Risks associated with mercury, phthalates, polyvinyl chloride products, fragrances, sterilants/disinfectants, cleaning products, asthmagenic products, pesticides, and other common products in hospitals will be discussed. Issues associated with operations such as waste management and recycling will be discussed. In addition to the assessment tools, resources for environmentally-preferable purchasing, choosing alternative products, promoting sustainable hospital foods, and healthy and safe operations will be described. Many hospitals are developing “Green Teams” or the equivalent which are helping to assess and address environmental health risks. A brief discussion about green teams will be included.