Sustainability, Health and Wellbeing Interest Group (SHWIG)

Discussing innovations, ideas, research and solutions within the areas of planetary health and sustainable healthcare
Handmade Globe inside Stethoscope as Heart Shape.
The Sustainability, Health and Wellbeing Interest Group (SHWIG) brings together university staff from a range of departments, students, alumni and colleagues from clinical settings, to discuss innovations, ideas, research and solutions within the areas of planetary health and sustainable healthcare. We meet a few times a year, and invite guest speakers to join us and share their work. The group is informal, and we are always looking for new members to join us! 
Join our group: please email Jennie Aronsson if you are interested.
SHWIG is led by members of the School of Nursing and Midwifery at the University of Plymouth. On this page, you can find out when the next meeting is taking place, explore the content of previous meetings, and find out some of the research that has been, and is, undertaken by members of the group.

Previous meetings

Kate Tantam, ICU Specialist Sister, Derriford Hospital, UK
7 February 2024
In this talk, we heard ICU specialist sister and #RehabLegend Kate Tantam discuss 'Building a garden in intensive care: from one patients dream after a spinal cord injury left him bedbound for 4 months in intensive care, to a garden fit for everyone'.
Dr Pete Allum, former lecturer in Paramedic Practice
3 May 2023
Pete discussed the completion of his thesis entitled “Investigating opportunities for sustainability behaviours within Paramedic and Ambulance Service practice”, which aimed to explore and investigate sustainability behaviours of UK ambulance service personnel and how they contribute to a reduce, re-use, recycle (RRR) ethos.  
Hannah Ames, Lecturer in Nursing at the University of Plymouth
8 February 2023
Hannah presented the findings of her MSc dissertation titled "I have had an epiphany" - Student nurses' reflections on their carbon footprint in simulation enhanced learning. Discussions acknowledged the importance of this research, and the relevance of embedding sustainability within clinical skills sessions. 
Alli Holland, Community Nurse and University of Plymouth alumna
7 December 2022
Alli presented her idea of getting community nurses back on their (E) bikes for the benefit of human health and wellbeing as well as planetary health. She was the winner of the sustainability prize in the School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Plymouth in 2022, and is now planning to develop her idea in practice.
Marie Elf, Professor in Nursing at Dalarna University
6 April 2022
At this meeting, we heard Marie Elf, Professor in Nursing at Dalarna University, Sweden, talk about planetary health and education for sustainable healthcare. Her talk was based on the "AMEE Consensus Statement: Planetary health and education for sustainable healthcare", which she jointly developed and published in 2021 (DOI: 10.1080/0142159X.2020.1860207).
Chloe Griggs, the Director for Enterprise and Engagement within the School of Nursing at Canterbury Christ Church University
19 January 2022
Chloe presented the findings of her PhD titled 'Engagement, disengagement and non-engagement with sustainable healthcare: an exploratory sequential study'. Discussions focused on the practical and theoretical implications of her psychology based research.
Dr Clare Pettinger, researcher and lecturer in Public Health Nutrition, School of Health Professionals, University of Plymouth
3 November 2021
Clare talked about her co-development role in the creation of the new national Greener Allied Health Professions hub (which aligns with the NHS Carbon Net Zero report) and how we can better be 'sustainability advocates' in our personal and professional lives.
Roz Davies, General Manager at the Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trusts
26 May 2021
Roz talked about innovative recycling and reusable PPE within the hospital setting.
You can also view a video about Roz's project
Janet Richardson, Emeritus Professor at the School of Nursing and Midwifery
24 February 2021
Janet talked about Nursing, Sustainability and Climate Change: Past, Present and Future; charting the process she and colleagues went through to discover the impacts of a changing climate on nursing and health, and how they tried to find solutions.
This meeting was not recorded, but please see this video clip

Sarah Cottell, Liz Byrt and Francesca Rees, School of Nursing and Midwifery alumni

25 November 2020

Three alumni from the School of Nursing and Midwifery presented their work: Sarah Cottell (midwife) talked about the breastfeeding as a sustainable healthcare solution; Liz Byrt (mental health nurse) spoke about the benefits of blue space for students, colleagues and people using mental health services; and Francesca Rees (midwife) shared her work on embedding sustainability education in clinical practice.

This meeting was not recorded – however, we are in the process of writing this up for potential future publication.

Publications
Aronsson J, Nichols A, Warwick P & Elf M (2023) 'Nursing students' and educators' perspectives on sustainability and climate change: An integrative review', Journal of Advanced Nursing, DOI Open access
Howes, S. and Warwick, P. (2023) 'Creating equitable and sustainable opportunities for nature immersion to support restoration from stress within mental health nursing: A critical interpretive synthesis' International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, Available at: DOI Open access
Nichols, A., Howes, S., Thompson, A., Byrt, L., Cottell, S., Rees, F. and Aronsson, J. (2022) 'Embedding sustainability into nursing and midwifery education' Nursing Times, Available at: Nursing Times
Aronsson J, Nichols A, Warwick P & Elf M (2021) 'Awareness and attitudes towards sustainability and climate change amongst students and educators in nursing: A systematic integrative review protocol' Nursing Open , DOI Open accessAronsson J, Anåker A, Elf M & Richardson J (2021) 'Sustainability in clinical practice: a cross-national comparative study of nursing students' Journal of Nursing Education Open access
Álvarez-Nieto C, Richardson J, Navarro-Perán MÁ, Tutticci N, Huss N, Elf M, Anåker A, Aronsson J, Baid H & López-Medina IM (2021) 'Nursing students' attitudes towards climate change and sustainability: A cross-sectional multisite study' Nurse Education Today 108, , DOI Open access
Richardson J, Aronsson J, Clarke D & Grose J (2021) 'The Greta Thunberg effect: student nurses’ attitudes to the climate crisis' Nursing Times 117, (5) 44-47 Publisher Site Open access
Aronsson J, Clarke D, Grose J & Richardson J (2020) 'Student nurses exposed to sustainability education can challenge practice: A cohort study' Nursing & Health Sciences , DOI Open access
Howes SE, Edward-Jones A & Waite S (2018) Moor Health and Wellbeing Toolkit. Dartmoor National Park. Exmoor National Park. Somerset and Devon public health bodies. Plymouth Plymouth University Open access
Howes SE, Edward-Jones A & Waite S (2018) Moor Health and Wellbeing. An evaluation of two National Park projects: Dartmoor Naturally Healthy and Exmoor Moor to Enjoy. Dartmoor National Park. Exmoor National Park. Funding received from Somerset & Devon Public Health bodies. Plymouth Plymouth University Open access
Nichols A & Mukonoweshuro R (2017) 'Understanding and knowledge of sustainable waste management within the neonatal unit: A qualitative investigation' Journal of Neonatal Nursing 23, (3) 127-133
Manzi S, Nichols A & Richardson J (2016) 'A comparison of waste compositions at health and social care facilities' British Journal of Healthcare Management 22, (9) 469-474
Manzi S, Nichols A & Richardson J (2016) 'A study of health and social care waste management behaviour' British Journal of Healthcare Management 22, (7) 360-366
Richardson J, Grose J, Manzi S, Mills I, Moles DR, Mukonoweshuro R, Nasser M & Nichols A (2016) 'What's in a bin: A case study of dental clinical waste composition and potential greenhouse gas emission savings' British Dental Journal 220, (2) 61-66
Richardson J, Grose J, Manzi S, Mills I, Moles DR, Mukonoweshuro R, Nasser M & Nichols A (2016) 'What's in a bin: A case study of dental clinical waste composition and potential greenhouse gas emission savings' British Dental Journal 220, (2) 61-66
Nichols A, Grose J & Mukonoweshuro R (2016) 'Achieving cost and carbon savings in neonatal practice: A review of the literature on sustainable waste management' Journal of Neonatal Nursing 22, (2) 81-87 
Nichols A & Allum P (2015) 'Emergency medical services (EMS) and waste: a review of the literature on sustainable EMS waste management' Journal of Paramedic Practice 7, (11) 568-571
Nichols A (2014) 'The impact of the clinical environment on family centred care in the neonatal unit: A qualitative investigation' Journal of Neonatal Nursing 20, (5) 230-235
Manzi S, Nichols A & Richardson J (2014) 'A non-participant observational study of health and social care waste disposal behaviour in the South West of England' J Health Serv Res Policy 19, (4) 231-235 Author Site
Nichols A & Manzi S (2014) 'Physical space and its impact on waste management in the neonatal care setting' Journal of Infection Prevention 15, (4) 134-138
Nichols A (2013) 'Sustainable family centred care in the neonatal unit' Journal of Neonatal Nursing 19, (5) 266-270
Manzi S, Nichols A, Pahl S, Richardson J, Bennallick M & Grose J (2013) 'How do they manage it? An observational study of health and social care waste management' Psychology & Health 28, 262-262
Nichols A, Grose J, Bennallick M & Richardson J (2012) 'Sustainable healthcare waste management: a qualitative investigation of its feasibility within a county in the south west of England' Journal of Infection Prevention 14, (2) 60-64
Richardson J, Nichols A & Henry T (2012) 'Do transition towns have the potential to promote health and well-being? A health impact assessment of a transition town initiative' Public Health 126, (11) 982-989
Grose J, Bennallick M, Nichols A, Pahl S & Richardson J (2012) 'Facilitating Sustainable Waste Management Behaviors Within the Health Sector: A Case Study of the National Health Service (NHS) in Southwest England, UK' Ssutainability 4, (4) 630-642
Nichols A, and Richardson J, (2011) Climate change, health and sustainability: A brief survey of primary care trusts in the south west of England. Perspectives in Public Health Vol131, No2, pp82-84.
Nichols A, Richardson J and Maynard V, (2010) Climate change and communicable disease: what are the risks? Journal of Infection Prevention Vol 11, Issue 5, pp146-148.
Richardson J, Kagawa F and Nichols A, (2009) Health, energy vulnerability and climate change: A retrospective thematic analysis of primary care trust policies and practices. Public Health Vol123, Issue 12, pp 765-770.
Nichols A, Maynard V, Goodman B and Richardson J, (2009) Health, Climate Change and Sustainability: A Systematic Review and Thematic Analysis of the Literature. Environmental Health Insights Vol 3, pp63 - 88.
Richardson J, Kagawa F and Nichols A, (2008) Health, Climate Change and Energy Vulnerability: A Retrospective Assessment of Strategic Health Authority Policy and Practice in England. Environmental Health Insights Vol 2, pp97-103.

Related sources

SHWIG leaders