User (midwife) Testing, University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff
The first production unit was introduced into a delivery suite at UHW, Cardiff mid-August and has been in regular use thereafter.
Feedback from midwives was collected both informally and via questionnaire.
Key takeaways:
- Very positive and supportive of the project in terms of environmental benefit. Staff understand that Entonox is a greenhouse gas and that this machine reduces emissions.
- Many staff feel it will improve their health and wellbeing by reducing their own exposure to nitrous oxide.
- The machine was simple and easy to use
- It was quiet
- Although large, it was able to fit into the room ok
- It could be used with a mouthpiece or face mask depending on patient choice
- It did emit some heat, which although noticeable, didn't make the room uncomfortably hot
Greener NHS Provides a road map for a future Net Zero.
The ability of the N2O Clear product to eliminate nitrous oxide from an inlet stream was evaluated over 2 days at Wrexham Maelor Hospital, north Wales. Using cylinder gas, test flows simulating 1~5 LPM of nitrous oxide and Entonox were introduced into the N2O Clear unit and the exhaust concentration of nitrous oxide was measured using a G200 N2O analyser from QED Environmental Systems. % reduction in nitrous oxide between inlet and exhaust air was then calculated and determined to exceed the target 99% on all occasions.
Implementing nitrous oxide cracking technology in the labour ward to reduce occupational exposure and environmental emissions: a quality improvement study.
K.A. Henderson, I.P. Matthews, A. Adisesh, A.D. Hutchings. Occup Environ Med 20023; 60; 958-961
