Cath Lab Digest

  Clinicians who specialize in wound care may be encountering an invisible army of chemicals that may contribute to the already challenging micro-environment of wound care. The most recent and seemingly little-recognized factor is the surface on which the patient is placed, the single contact point to which the wound and caregiver are routinely exposed. Although many studies have reviewed the efficacy of surface therapies such as low air loss and more, few consider the content of the surface fabric and what chemicals may be emitted through micro-abrasion or prolonged exposure.

  Across all care settings, including hospitals, wound clinics, long-term care, and home care, WOC nurses are experiencing a diverse set of circumstances that affect protocols and care. Only recently have studies begun to surface about the toxic chemicals to which caregivers and patients are exposed. One of the most telling stories is a recent study conducted in partnership with the Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR), American Nurses Association, Healthcare Without Harm, Nurses Working Group, and Clean New York. This group produced a report documenting the presence of toxic industrial chemicals associated with the healthcare environment in the bodies of 20 physicians and nurses across the country. Each participant had at least four chemicals that can be found on the recently released Environmental Protection Agency list of priority chemicals for regulation.

  Impact of Key Chemicals

  Fire barriers often contain the most harmful chemicals, which include antimony, bromine, chlorine, lead, mercury, phthalates, and more. Exposure to these chemicals has been linked to cancer, adult infertility, learning disabilities, seizures, and adverse effects on embryos, the central nervous system, brain, heart, and other vital organs. Fabric content that facilitates a halogen-free approach can mediate the effects of harmful chemicals. WOC nurses and staff should demand surfaces that take a halogen-free approach to the content of fabric, fire barriers, and foam cores.

  Many organizational and regulatory endeavors, from the Healthier Hospital Initiative (HHI) to PSR to the Safe Chemicals Act of 2010 sponsored by Senator Lautenberg and Congressmen Waxman and Rush, are part of a concerted effort to “green” the healthcare environment. But similar to the latex-awareness efforts and subsequent latex-free environments of the 1990s, healthcare workers need to advocate for practice settings free of chemicals of concern for themselves and their patients. WOC nurses have a responsibility to choose products that have been rigorously tested and that do not add to healthcare problems. Don’t be afraid to ask for products that are certified as green and/or environmentally friendly. If you are not sure what to ask, talk to your agency’s Sustainability or Green Team or your materials management/procurement staff.

  Table 1. Resources for green products.

    www.practicegreenhealth.org/

    www.healthierhospitals.org/

    www.psr.org/news-events/press-releases/psr-supports-newly-introduced-safe-chemicals-act.html

    www.noharm.org/all_regions/issues/toxins/

    www.saferchemicals.org/

    www.nursingworld.org/ (American Nursing Assn)

    www.clean-ny.org

– Erica Thibault, MS, RN, CNS, APN, CWON

Ms. Thibault is a Nursing Research PhD candidate specializing in pressure ulcer prevention. She is focused on the design and development of clinical research and programs at Sizewise Worldwide (Kansas City, MO) that will advance the knowledge and needs of the facilities, caregivers, and patients.