Healthy buildings: impact on nurses and nursing practice

Area of Science:

• Environmental Health
• Occupational Health
• Sustainable Architecture

Background:

• Buildings contribute to human illness and environmental damage.
• Indoor air pollution is a major environmental health risk in the US, where people spend 95% of their time indoors.
• Healthcare leaders, designers, and architects are increasingly adopting sustainable design for healthier buildings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To inform nurses about the health impacts of buildings on their practice.
• To provide resources for nurses to advocate for sustainable healthcare design.
• To support the creation of healing environments and reduce the healthcare industry's environmental impact.

Main Methods:

• Review of definitions, current initiatives, and motivations for sustainable design.
• Discussion of sustainable healthcare design strategies: site planning, clean transportation, water conservation, healthy materials, and indoor environmental quality.
• Exploration of the benefits of sustainable design in healthcare settings.

Main Results:

• Unhealthy buildings pose risks to nurses and nursing practice.
• Sustainable design strategies can mitigate negative health and environmental impacts.
• Nurses can play a key role in promoting sustainable healthcare environments.

Conclusions:

• Nurses are essential in transforming the healthcare industry towards sustainability.
• Implementing sustainable design principles leads to healthier buildings and improved patient care.
• Resources are available to empower nurses in creating healing and environmentally responsible healthcare settings.