​Brighdie Davey, a clinical nurse lead in the chemotherapy unit at BC Cancer – Prince George, reduced the use of disposable plastic pads used to prepare intravenous lines to deliver chemotherapy by 85 per cent in four weeks – equivalent to the carbon footprint of saving 442 litres of gas. 

They’re just two of the nurses who have participated in BC Cancer’s Planetary Health Nursing Internship Program – the first of its kind. 

The program empowers nurses to identify waste reduction strategies and implement sustainable solutions for planetary and human health, training them how to effectively implement, measure and become champions of change.

“A lot of people picture melting snow, ice and polar bears when they think about climate change, but it isn’t something that’s happening far away. It’s heat waves, wildfires and floods – it’s here,” says Batke. 

“Even though I feel climate anxiety, I feel a bit more in control knowing the small changes I make at home and in my workplace can make a difference.”

The Planetary Health Nursing Internship program is housed under the Nursing and Allied Health Research and Knowledge Translation Team. Xiru Li, provincial planetary health research nurse, and clinical nurse specialists provide mentorship during each 12-week cohort. The first cohort started April 8 with five nurses participating. Six nurses are to participate in each cohort going forward. 

Li is proud to work for an organization that prioritizes the wisdom of front-line workers to reduce waste and implement sustainable solutions for planetary and human health.

“As the health-care industry is a major contributor to greenhouse gases, BC Cancer is taking responsibility to evaluate its contributions to the climate crisis and is taking action to ensure innovative and sustainable solutions,” she says.

Leah Lambert, executive director and senior scientist of nursing and allied health research and knowledge translation department at BC Cancer, says the investment in the Planetary Health Nursing Internship Program is a testament to BC Cancer’s leadership in fostering innovation and collaboration. 

“We brought together nurses, researchers and health-care leader to design and operationalize a platform that empowers nurses to dream big and drive meaningful change in planetary health, pushing the boundaries of what is possible in nursing-led sustainable health care” she says. 

She also credits BC Cancer’s Planetary Health Unit with setting an example of clinicians driving environmentally sustainable change within the organization. 

The internship program has been made possible by the many academics, researchers and initiatives that have advised its development, including the Canadian Association of Nurses for the Environment, CASCADES, and Health Quality BC.