The Clinical Training Center paves the way for more sustainable healthcare education

When Camilla started working at KTC in 2009, she noticed that large amounts of new medical supplies were opened, used, and discarded after each training session.

–It made me question whether students really need to open new materials for every procedure. We were using syringe after syringe, catheter after catheter, only to throw everything away immediately, says Camilla.

Realized the Impact of Overconsumption

Camilla Weidestam has a background in cancer care and had many years of experience working with materials that were both expensive and vital. When she saw how KTC used large quantities of consumables during training on patient simulators, she quickly realized that something needed to change.

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– We were using the materials as if they were free, but every syringe, every glove, every catheter costs money and has an environmental impact.

During Camilla's first year, the center grew rapidly, and the number of students needing training in various medical procedures increased.

– I ordered enormous amounts of materials, and it sometimes felt unjustifiable, she recalls. That was the starting point for an important change process.

Environmental awareness and reuse

As Camilla Weidestam began questioning the use of new materials for each training session, the idea of reusing the materials instead started to take shape.

–We began informing everyone about the importance of considering both costs and the environment and reviewing our teaching methods. For example, if students open a new IV set during one lesson, they use the same set in the next session. The students have been positive and are really open to reusing materials, it has never been an issue. On the contrary, most are very environmentally conscious and understand the need to reduce unnecessary waste, says Camilla.

The changes introduced meant that students only used new materials to learn proper techniques and practice opening sterile packaging at the beginning of their training. After that, they practiced with reused materials in the training rooms. This includes everything from IV sets to catheters and bandages, and through this new approach, KTC was able to significantly reduce its material consumption.

–Today, we mainly open new materials when it's absolutely necessary, such as when using peripheral venous catheters or needles for blood samples, and also during exams. But we try to reuse as much as possible without compromising quality, explains Camilla.

Collaborations bring great benefits

An important step in the change process was when Camilla initiated a collaboration with Human Bridge, a charity organization that accepts medical supplies no longer used in Sweden. Often, the materials come from discontinued operations and can then be distributed to hospitals in developing countries. Camilla shares that KTC has received large amounts of medical supplies from Human Bridge that, for various reasons, cannot be sent abroad. This has significantly reduced their purchases.

–We have received hospital beds, EKG machines, and many other fully functional items that would otherwise have been discarded. The collaboration works both ways; when we no longer need materials, Human Bridge accepts them from us. It's both an economic and environmental win. We have received consumables worth between 200,000 and 300,000 kronor just in the past month, says Camilla. –We couldn’t manage all of this ourselves, so we’ve shared it with other units such as the Clinical Anatomy Training Center (KAT), Simulatorcentrum Väst, and Experimental Biomedicine (EBM).

In addition to the collaboration with Human Bridge, Camilla has also established a digital portal where KTC can share surplus materials with other clinical training centers across Sweden.

–Recently, for example, we received 30,000 venous catheters, far more than we can store, so we advertised in the portal so other centers could take part in them. In this way, we distribute resources and reduce waste even further.

Another initiative Camilla introduced is that KTC can now borrow some technical equipment from companies, avoiding the need to purchase equipment that quickly becomes outdated.

Sustainable future visions

Today, Camilla has a role as environmental coordinator at KTC, and reuse and sustainability are integrated into the entire operation. Students are informed early in their education about the importance of environmental awareness and how KTC works with material reuse and why.

–We are environmentally certified, and we are very proud of that! It means we follow strict rules on how we handle materials and waste”, says Camilla. “At the beginning of their education, students must complete an environmental quiz before coming to KTC to raise their awareness.

Camilla is also careful to emphasize that the materials they reuse are always of high quality.

–It must be up-to-date materials, the same that students will use during their clinical training and later in their work. Everything we use at KTC is completely safe and of high standard, that’s important to point out.

Another key part of the work has been informing and engaging colleagues.

–Initially, it was a bit of a challenge to get everyone on board”, Camilla explains, “but today everyone understands the importance of this work.

–I think we’ve come a long way, but I’m sure we will find even more ways to make improvements in the future. This is just the beginning!