Environmental sustainability in the intensive care unit: challenges and solutions.

In acute care practice sites, the intensive care unit (ICU) is one of the most resource-intense environments. Replete with energy-intensive equipment, significant waste production, and multiple toxic chemicals, ICUs contribute to environmental harm and may inadvertently have a negative impact on the health of patients, staff, and visitors. This article evaluates the ICU on four areas of environmental sustainability: energy, waste, toxic chemicals, and healing environment and provides concrete actions ICU nurses can take to decrease environmental health risks in the ICU. Case studies of nurses making changes within their hospital practice are also highlighted, as well as resources for nurses starting to make changes at their health care institutions.

The Impact of Extreme Heat Exposure on Pregnant People and Neonates: A State of the Science Review.

The relationship between heat exposure and perinatal morbidity and mortality is of increasing concern as global temperatures rise and extreme heat events become more frequent and intense. Heat exposure can lead to a multitude of harmful outcomes for pregnant individuals and neonates, including hospitalization and death. This state of the science review explored the evidence on the associations between heat exposure and negative health outcomes during pregnancy and the neonatal period. Findings suggest that improving health care provider and patient awareness of heat-related risks and implementing specific interventions could mitigate adverse outcomes. Furthermore, public health and other policy interventions are needed to increase thermal comfort and reduce societal exposure to extreme heat and related risks. Early warning systems, medical alerts, provider and patient education, and increased access to health care and thermal comfort may improve pregnancy and early life health outcomes.

Pediatric Chemical Exposure: Opportunities for Prevention.

Over the past 50 years, the use of artificial chemicals in products has increased exponentially. Most of these chemicals were not tested for safety before widespread use, and the impacts of exposures are just now being realized. Children are especially vulnerable to the health impacts of chemical exposures, and these exposures are now known to be an important component of rising rates of diseases such as asthma, some cancers, and neurodevelopmental disorders in children. This article reviews the impacts of chemical exposures on children's health, common chemicals children may be exposed to and their health impacts, and how advanced practice registered nurses can assess for exposures, provide anticipatory guidance, and engage in advocacy in support of a healthier environment.

Nurses Drawdown: Building a Nurse-Led, Solutions-Based Quality Improvement Project to Address Climate Change.

BACKGROUND: Climate change is one of the most significant threats to public health we currently face. While the link between climate change and health is clear, many nurses have not received education on climate change, as it may not routinely be included in nursing curricula. This lack of knowledge can prevent nurses from engaging in climate solutions, incorporating climate change into their practice or research, or participating in climate advocacy within their institutions or with policymakers. METHODS: Nurses Drawdown is a web-based platform that builds on the work of Project Drawdown, which identifies and quantifies effective, evidence-based climate solutions. Nurses Drawdown utilizes evidence-based techniques for web design and movement building to engage a global nursing audience on five areas of action that have clear links to health: Energy, Food, Gender Equity, Mobility, and Nature-Based Solutions. RESULTS: Sixteen nursing organizations signed on with Nurses Drawdown as official partners; within 1 month of going live, nurses from 16 countries had committed to take action. Web-based movement building can effectively engage a global nursing audience. However, new partnerships with nursing organizations may not form until there is proof of nursing engagement.

Nurses Promoting Inclusive, Safe, Resilient, and Sustainable Cities and Communities: Taking Action on COVID-19, Systemic Racism, and Climate Change.

This article is one in a series in which contributing authors discuss how the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are linked to everyday clinical issues; national public health emergencies; and other nursing issues, such as leadership, shared governance, and advocacy. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, a 15-year plan of action to achieve the goals, was unanimously adopted by all UN member states in September 2015 and took effect on January 1, 2016. The Agenda consists of 17 SDGs addressing social, economic, and environmental determinants of health and 169 associated targets focused on five themes: people, planet, peace, prosperity, and partnership. The SDGs build on the work of the UN Millennium Development Goals, which were in effect from 2000 to 2015. The current article highlights SDG 11-making "cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable."

Potential hazards of air pollutant emissions from unconventional oil and natural gas operations on the respiratory health of children and infants.

Research on air pollutant emissions associated with unconventional oil and gas (UOG) development has grown significantly in recent years. Empirical investigations have focused on the identification and measurement of oil and gas air pollutants [e.g. volatile organic compounds (VOCs), particulate matter (PM), methane] and the influence of UOG on local and regional ambient air quality (e.g. tropospheric ozone). While more studies to better characterize spatial and temporal trends in exposure among children and newborns near UOG sites are needed, existing research suggests that exposure to air pollutants emitted during lifecycle operations can potentially lead to adverse respiratory outcomes in this population. Children are known to be at a greater risk from exposure to air pollutants, which can impair lung function and neurodevelopment, or exacerbate existing conditions, such as asthma, because the respiratory system is particularly vulnerable during development in-utero, the postnatal period, and early childhood. In this article, we review the literature relevant to respiratory risks of UOG on infants and children. Existing epidemiology studies document the impact of air pollutant exposure on children in other contexts and suggest impacts near UOG. Research is sparse on long-term health risks associated with frequent acute exposures - especially in children - hence our interpretation of these findings may be conservative. Many data gaps remain, but existing data support precautionary measures to protect the health of infants and children.

Developing curriculum recommendations for environmental health in nursing.

In 2010, the American Nurses Association (ANA) added an environmental health standard to the ANA Scope and Standards of Practice requiring that nurses implement environmental health strategies in nursing practice. To prepare nurse educators to integrate environmental health at all educational levels, nursing faculty members from the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments developed environmental health competencies and curricular recommendations that address this need. Internet URLs are included for environmental health curricula for each level of nursing education.

Pesticides and health risks.

Pesticides are a category of chemicals formulated to kill or repel a pest or halt its reproduction. In this article we review the toxicological and epidemiological literature; describe common potential pesticide exposures; and focus on the associated health risks to fetal development. Clinical implications are reviewed, and recommendations are made regarding the integration of this environmental health concern into nursing education, practice, research, and policy/advocacy work. Recommendations for pesticide elimination and reduction in health care settings are included.

The effects of environmental contaminants in food on women's health.

An essential element of a health-promoting lifestyle is eating nutritious, healthy foods. However, food can be a source of exposure to many types of toxins, and current food production methods can have negative effects on the environment and consumers. This article identifies several of the contaminants present in food and describes adverse health effects from exposure to specific contaminants. Recommendations for how exposure can be prevented or minimized are presented.