Do no harm guides the culture of safe patient care. At The Valley Hospital in Ridgewood, N.J., the mantra also extends to protecting the environment. As part of a commitment to explore environmentally friendly options in the hospital, surgical team members are constantly looking for ways to develop more sustainable options in the OR. Over the last several years, their initiatives have included diverting supplies from the waste stream as well as collaborating with outside companies to reprocess, repurpose and recycle single-use items. They segregate infectious waste from recyclable materials at the point of use and even make concerted efforts to cut down on using hard copies of the daily surgical schedule.
The staff has learned that going green does not have to be an overwhelming, costly process; instead, it can involve minor changes that lead to a larger initiative that promotes positive change.