Congratulations t@Manou Blijboom, Master Student Design for Interaction at TU Delft, who recently graduated! Her graduation project is called ‘PlastIC Flow: A nurse-centered design intervention for plastic packaging separation in ICU care routines’
The Intensive Care Units of Erasmus MC generate an estimated 10,000 kg of plastic packaging waste from medical products each year. Most of this packaging is currently incinerated, even though many of these materials are technically recyclable when properly separated.
In her graduation project, Manou explored how ICU staff can be supported in separating plastic packaging waste in a way that fits their daily work. By testing ideas regularly with nurses and other staff, the project showed that practical changes can make recycling easier and help reduce the environmental impact of healthcare in the short term.
Three insights from Manou’s project!
Insight 1 – Continuous feedback creates fit and support
As a designer new to the ICU, it was essential to involve staff throughout the process. In a high-paced clinical environment, participation only works when it fits existing routines, limited time and the priority of patient care. Conversations, observations, practical tests and feedback moments helped create a solution around the way staff actually work and helped build support for the initiative.
Insight 2 – Resistance improves design
At the start, some staff were hesitant about separating plastic packaging waste. They understood the environmental value, but were concerned it would make their work more complicated. By listening to these concerns and addressing them in the design, their resistance gradually decreased. Their feedback helped shape a solution they were willing to use in daily practice and felt positive about.
Insight 3 – Small steps can inspire further change
Sustainable change can start small. Practical improvements can make sustainability more visible and easier to act on in daily work. Once staff started thinking along, they also came up with other simple ideas to make the ICU more sustainable. This showed that one step towards sustainable healthcare can inspire the next.
Manou’s project was supervised by Jan Carel Diehl (ESCH-R WP5 Lead, TU Delft), Nicole Hunfeld (ESCH-R PI, Erasmus MC) and Nina Schouten (TU Delft).
