Second nature: Christiana Care Health System A Case Study in Environmental
Christiana Healthcare
A Case Study in Environmental
Linda Laskowski-Jones, VP of Emergency & Aeromedical Services, has a passion for the environment. Her concern led her to explore Vernacare's biodegradable bedpans and urinals and her staff were very glad she did.
"I cringed whenever I thought of how much
plastic went into a landfill as a result of
normal emergency department operations.
Using biodegradable products to significantly
lessen the environmental impact appealed to me
right away. I became completely committed to
bringing this system into my department."
After compiling a strong business case, approval was given to install Vernacare's waste management system in Christiana Care's main Emergency Department in the Spring of 2008.
For a smooth "go-live" conversion, Vernacare provided extensive training and support to the Nursing & Engineering staff. Given the ease of use of the system, ongoing training was then managed by Amy Tyler, Staff Development Specialist, with support from Vernacare.
"The Vernacare waste management system is
not complicated and after training staff on the
disposal unit, the routine response was: "That's it?"
The Vernacare system really is that simple."
Vernacare also supported Ken Birkentall as he converted from plastic disposables to Vernacare's biodegradable equivalents.
"Last year our department alone sent over
60,000 items to the dump. Over 20,000 of them
were plastic wash basins. That's an enormous
mountain of plastic. I never really thought about
it until Linda had mentioned it to us."
What began as a "pilot program" is quicklybeing viewed as an overwhelming success as the Nursing staff experiences the benefits of Vernacare's single use products and automated disposal system. Not only does the staff not have to manually clean bedpans in an unhygienic and time-consuming manner, but the Emergency Department estimates it has reduced its plastic waste generation by over 4,000 pounds in the past year!
The success of the Vernacare conversion has been so strong that plans are now in place to expand the use of this environmental product line to both the Clinical Decision Unit and the Wilmington Emergency Department. Christiana Care, located in Wilmington Delaware, is one of the largest healthcare providers on the east coast, and recognized as a regional center for excellence in cardiology, cancer and women's health. Its Level 1 trauma care and emergency services serves over 156,000 ED visitors every year.
Vernacare's range of biodegradable bedside products continue to grow in acceptance as the benefits to nurses, patients and the environment are widely recognized. Vernacare is honored to welcome Christiana Care as one of its newest customers.
