Nurses are a pretty amazing group of people, wouldn’t you say? The entire profession is made of folks who want to help, care for, cure and comfort other living beings, even when it’s not so glamorous. There’s a lot of blood, sweat and tears (and other substances that shall remain nameless) stretched over those very long, fluorescent-lit shifts. Definitely not for the faint of heart (or stomache).
So these lovely people who care about other people very, very much often take it one step further and care about our environment too. They try to tread lightly on the world we people live in to make sure we don’t sicken the planet while treating patients, which sickens people to become patients, which sickens the planet to make more patients until everyone’s a patient. No one has the patience for this!
Luckily, there’s a grand group of nurses called ONEIG, or Ontario Nurses for the Environment Interest Group, that gather such like-minded individuals to make great changes. And they’re having an AMAZING EVENT next week. And I’m not just saying the event is amazing because Ed and I are speaking at it (though we are, and it is).
So consider this your official invitation to join ONEIG and UHN’s Energy & Environment team (that’s Ed and me) for a little presentation and discussion on how nurses can make our health care system a little greener!
When: Wednesday, October 10th, 2012 from 6:00-7:30pm
Location: Toronto General Hospital, Paul B. Helliwell Centre for Medical Education, 200 Elizabeth Street, Eaton North Ground, Room 025/026.
Everyone is welcome, regardless of affiliation with ONEIG or RNAO. Admission is low, low price of free, with refreshments to boot! Help us be extra-eco-friendly by bringing your own plate and water bottle.
Please RSVP by October 5th at environmentrn@gmail.com
Looking forward to seeing you there!
For more on the event, click here http://www.oneig.ca/greening-health-care.html
Us ONEIG folk are sending the love right back at you two greensters! We’re totally pumped for the 10th and hope to see many UHN nurses there!
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Thanks Morgan! We can’t wait!
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Florence Nightingale was the first nursing environmental activist who connected the important link between the environment and the health of our patients:
It (nursing) ought to signify the proper use of fresh air, light, warmth, cleanliness, quiet, and the proper selection and administration of diet – all at the least expense of vital power to the patient. (Nightingale, 1969)
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