Nitrous oxide use is widespread outside anaesthesia – ED, labour ward and burns wards frequently use it. Particularly in older hospitals, outdated and poorly maintained pipeline infrastructure can mean more nitrous leaks into the atmosphere than goes into patients. A great place to start learning more and designing a nitrous oxide mitigation project for your…
Work with preoperative clinics and the holding bay staff to encourage patients to see their GP to optimise asthma therapy with long-acting agents, to bring their own MDI devices (to avoid using new MDIs) or using nebulised medications driven with medical air where available. Liaise with your pharmacy department to explore ordering more environmentally friendly…
We can make individual contributions to carbon offsetting, however we all attend conferences which through travel, food and accommodation, and impact on local ecosystems, have an associated significant carbon cost. Lobby your college to introduce mandatory carbon offsetting for conferences with an option for college members to contribute, or build it into the cost of…
Nothing gets done in large organisations without data – partner with your pathology department to quantify pathology tests done in certain high-volume areas, such as ICU, ED and preoperative clinics, and their associated costs. You might be surprised how much duplication and unnecessary tests are done based on the Choosing Wisely principles available at https://www.choosingwisely.org.au/recommendations?q=&organisation=&medicineBranch=&medicalTest=2786&medicineTreatment=&conditionSymptom=…
