Assessment of a nurse led energy behavior change intervention in an NHS community hospital ward

Abstract

This paper investigates a nurse led, energy conservation behavioral intervention, in hospital wards of an NHS (National Health Service) community hospital (Trust). The information based intervention was adapted from “Operation TLC”, developed by environmental behavioral change charity Global Action Plan, and St Bartholomew’s Health NHS Trust, London. For this study, three identical older persons’ acute-care wards in terms of patient type, nursing levels, layout, electrical fittings (lighting & small power), elevation and orientation (one control ward and two intervention wards) were evaluated over a nine-month period. The paper demonstrates a co-dependent relationship between the quantitative data from the electricity and light monitors on the wards with the qualitative data gathered from staff comfort surveys and focus groups, and Trust policies. Our results show a 13% reduction in electricity consumption, primarily from preventing nursing staff in the intervention group from using prohibited secondary space heaters at night during the heating season and the introduction of a “quiet time” in the intervention group. During quiet time lights in the intervention group were turned off for an hour after lunch to encourage rest for patients to provide time for nursing staff to complete administrative tasks. Electricity reductions achieved during the intervention period were observed to continue into the 3-month post intervention period but at a reduced level.

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Identifiers

ORCID for Louise Sawyer: orcid.org/0000-0001-7730-5118

ORCID for Patrick James: orcid.org/0000-0002-2694-7054

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