 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
About NIHE
|
About NIHE
|
|
Mission The Nightingale Institute for Health and the Environment assisted healthcare
professionals to recognize the inextricable link between human and environmental
health and their role in creating the change in practice needed to improve
the health of humans and the environment. People The Nightingale Institute for Health and the Environment made a major contribution in it's ten years of life to understanding how health professionals can make a difference in their workplace and in the world in protecting the environment and public health. Today there are a number of initiatives for and by health professionals to continue this work and members of the Nightingale Institute made the decision to cease operations and support these new efforts. The trustees who worked diligently to create and promote the mission of NIHE included: Hollie Shaner, RN, MSA, FAAN History of Initiatives The Trustees Initiative was designed to educate trustees and health care leaders on the environmental impact of health care delivery, and to offer resources which enable them to improve the environmental performance of their organizations and minimize the adverse ecological impact in the communities they serve. Through activities such as retreats, publications, information sharing (web site), and highlighting best practices, NIHE supported the transition to "greener" healthcare. The Clinicians Initiative was designed to educate nurses and other clinicians already working in health care to recognize the environmental impact of their clinical practice on the environment, and empower them to work with their organizations to make changes which minimize adverse impacts and promote resource conservation. NIHE served as a convener, facilitator and collaborator with this group. The Environmental Procurement Initiative was designed to educate the procurement sector within healthcare of the environmental impacts associated with healthcare products and services. Inherent in this project was an emphasis on sustainability, resource conservation, and life cycle thinking. NIHE collaborated with other groups involved in developing tools for decision making, and served as a convening agent, provided education and conducted outreach to purchasing groups and facilitated communications between clinicians, suppliers, and healthcare leaders. The Environmental Screening Tool For Healthcare Products is a tool designed
to enable pre-purchase screening of products and supplies for healthcare
providers. Labeled HCEPT,
the program is the only available tool designed specifically to determine
a product's environmental and waste hazards. Purchasing agents and materials
managers can adopt several strategies to reduce PBT releases from health
care operations and play a role in environmental protection. Health care
administrators and environmental managers can also facilitate the implementation
of these strategies. The tool is still available and active. For information on current initiatives on Nursing and the Environment * H2E - Hospitals for a Healthy Environment |
|
The Nightingale
Institute for Health and the Environment
|