Figure 1. Recycling receptable signage
in the introduction. The initial step in implementing
the grant was proper promotion and education in the
clinical simulation lab recycling process.
There are many recycling receptacles throughout the
campus when dealing with a university-wide move-
ment for sustainability. Students are immersed in the
idea of “going green” and living sustainably. This fol-
lows to the nursing simulation lab. By clearly label-
ing receptacles for recycling (with visual examples of
items most used in lab experiences), students transi-
tioned to recycling clean medical waste as a crucial
aspect of increasing participation in the lab (see
Figure 1). This purpose-specific signage assists in a
recycling process that, for many, can be confusing. To
simplify the process for students and faculty, a short
video was created to clarify the disposal of waste
products in the lab. This video was shown to students
in their first week of utilizing the clinical simulation
lab. Although challenging, behavior change was evi-
dent in students and faculty who sought to “do the
right thing” by recycling and reusing clean medical
waste. Extra time is required to maintain the pro-
cess of reusing materials, particularly if refilling or
repurposing. However, the additional time is allo-
cated as part of the responsibility of the simulation
lab coordinator. It is fully supported by the College
of Nursing. It is estimated that, at this point in time,
the College has decreased its medical supply waste by
at least 50%.
In the last year of the nursing program, students are
encouraged to donate unused nursing skills supplies
and uniforms for reuse in the lab. This continues the
vision of sustainability. The most recent waste reduc-
tion addition includes the recycling of medical gloves
through the Medline Greensmart Program (www.
Issue 74, 3 2019 Pennsylvania Nurse 16
Figure 2. Crimping and decrimping tools for reusing
vials
medline.com). Gloves are converted to fuel when
returned via FedEx. Unfortunately, one limitation
of this sustainability project was not proactively
quantifying the amount of waste generated before
the project began. No data was collected before
the project began to measure the amount of waste
rescued from the waste stream. Therefore, we do not
have a measurable cost savings pre- and post-imple-
mentation.
Reuse
The concept of reuse and recycling of consumable
supplies reduces medical waste and decreases costs in
the clinical nursing simulation lab, as well as pre-
serves the global environment. Skills practice and
clinical simulations require the utilization of many
consumable supplies. Medication administration
remains one area where supplies can be reused in the
simulation lab. In teaching students to reconstitute
dry medications, many vials of powder are utilized.
Most times, they are placed in glass recycling. In
striving to save costs and “be green,” powder vials
are reused with tools for decrimping and crimping
(see Figure 2). Used vials caps are removed, vials
cleaned and dried, powder (powdered sugar or body
powder) is added to vials, and caps are replaced for
reuse. Regarding IV bags, saline vials, emergency
medications, Carpuject vials, and insulin pen vials,
all of these are refilled with tap water and a small
amount of alcohol to be reused multiple times. The
small amount of alcohol added to the tap water pre-
vents mold contamination in reuse of the supplies.
These simple efforts conserve the clinical simulation
lab budget spending and provide an example to stu-
dents of sustainability measures and less waste.