Anesthesia environmental sustainability programs—a survey of Canadian department chiefs and residency program directors

Abstract

Introduction Anesthesia-related activities contribute to operating room waste impacting climate change. The aim of this study was to ascertain 1) the current existence and scope of department and education programs concerned with anesthesia ''green'' practice; and 2) perceived barriers to environmental sustainability efforts among Canadian anesthesia department chiefs and residency program directors. Methods Associationof Canadian University Departments of Anesthesia-affiliated anesthesiology department chiefs (n = 113) were invited to complete an online survey ascertaining current efforts in, and barriers to, environmentally sustainable anesthesia practice. Similarly, Canadian anesthesiology residency program directors (n = 17) were invited to complete an online survey delineating current educational programs on environmental sustainability and identifying interest in, and barriers to, developing a Canada-wide curriculum. Results The response rates for department chiefs and program directors were 23% (26/113) and 41% (7/17), respectively. Department chiefs indicated that their departments participate in sustainability efforts such as donating medical equipment (65%) and recycling (58%). Despite interest in environmental sustainability, department chiefs identified inadequate funding (72%), lack of a mandate (64%), and inadequate knowledge (60%) as barriers to implementing environmentally sustainable practices. Only 29% of responding Canadian anesthesiology programs include environmental sustainability in their curriculum. Responding residency program directors believe residents would benefit from more teaching on the topic (86%) but identified barriers including a lack of faculty expertise (100%) and time constraints (71%). Respondents (71%) also indicated an interest in developing a Canadian curriculum on the topic. Conclusion Our results highlight current attitudes, gaps, and barriers to environmentally sustainable anesthesiology practice among departmental and educational leadership. Furthermore, this study identifies potential opportunities to

Waste Management and the Perspective of a Green Hospital—A Systematic Narrative Review

“…Among them, six were excluded because they did not fulfill the inclusion criteria. Thus, in total, 19 studies were eligible [ 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 ] ( Table 1 ). The remaining 209 studies did not meet the inclusion criteria.…”

“…Two studies [ 13 , 21 ] focused on anesthesia-related activities that contribute to operating room waste. Skowno J et al [ 13 ] evidenced that a quarter of all medical garbage results from operating rooms, of which 25% results from anesthetic services.…”

“…Therefore, great decreases in the usage of volatile anesthetics and nitrous oxide, or adoptions relating to waste management and procurement practices are auspicated. Petre MA et al [ 21 ] administered an online survey establishing up-to-date efforts in, and barriers to, environmentally sustainable anesthesia practice to the managers of Canadian departments of anesthesia ( n = 113). Similarly, Canadian anesthesiology residency program directors ( n = 17) were asked to fill in an online survey defining up-to-date educational programs on environmental sustainability and recognizing interest in, and barriers to, developing a Canada-wide curriculum.…”

“…Responding residency program directors asserted that residents would benefit from more education on the topic (86%) but recognized barriers involving a lack of faculty knowhow (100%), and time constraints (71%). The authors concluded that specific teaching agendas are required to deal with anesthesia-related waste management in nosocomial environments [ 21 ].…”

Principles of environmentally‐sustainable anaesthesia: a global consensus statement from the World Federation of Societies of Anaesthesiologists

“…The Association for Anaesthetists’ Environment and Sustainability Committee provides continuing professional education for members, for example at conferences and in members’ publications, and supports annual fellowships in sustainability for anaesthesia trainees [ 60 ]. Interest is growing in developing similar initiatives in undergraduate and postgraduate training elsewhere [ 61 , 62 ]. Professionally, several societies have made statements about the importance of sustainability in anaesthetic practice, emphasising the need for education on sustainable anaesthesia in training schemes worldwide [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 63 ].…”