In the increasingly complex environment in which health care is delivered today,
registered nurses are the premier advocates for:
- The safety and quality of patient care
- The health and safety of registered nurses and other health care professionals
and health care workers
- Health care practices which do no harm to the public health environment outside
the settings in which health care is delivered.
From the American Journal of Nursing
Lighting the Way
Luminary Project proposes solutions for a safer, cleaner environment
On the Web
The
Sustainable Hospitals Project
The Sustainable Hospitals Project at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell has
a web-based clearinghouse for selecting products and work practices that
eliminate or reduce occupational and environmental hazards, maintain quality
patient care, and contain costs. Information about latex-free medical gloves,
safer needle devices, alternatives to polyvinyl chloride products (PVC), and
mercury-free products are included at this site.
Health Care Without Harm
(HCWH)
Since 1997 ANA, and since 1998 ICN, have been members of the coalition, Health
Care Without Harm. The coalition now totals 337 members in 37 countries. The
mission of HCWH is to transform the health care industry so it is no longer a
source of environmental harm by eliminating pollution in health care practices
without compromising safety or care.
International Council of Nurses (ICN) Position Statements
EnviRN
This web site from the University of Maryland School of Nursing is dedicated to
supporting nursing professionals seeking accurate, timely and credible
scientific information on environmental health and nursing.
The
Precautionary Principle
A principle for guiding human activities, to prevent harm to the environment
and to human health, has been emerging during the past 10 years. It is called
the "principle of precautionary action" or the "precautionary principle" for
short.
