Even though retired, Helen French, BSN, RN, remains steadfast in her desire to promote the causes she believes in.

During her 33 years as an OR nurse, French realized a lot of reusable supplies are wasted, items that could be used to help others. In 1992 at the University of Virginia (UVa) Health System, Charlottesville, VA, she founded a program called MERCI. Since then, MERCI has recycled more than 500 tons of medical supplies for use in missions around the world in countries such as El Salvador, Lithuania and Bolivia.

Stemming Waste

French, whose MERCI story is featured in the newly released CChicken Soup for the Nurse's Soul, Second Dose would like to convince hospitals around the country to start similar programs.

Millions of pounds of waste are generated in hospitals annually, but a large percentage of this is noninfectious, said French. In fact, many discarded supplies are clean, reusable or have never been used. These items typically end up in incinerators that release harmful dioxins into the air.

A box of unused latex gloves in a crushed box is a prime example. Sheets, bedspreads and gowns are recyclable. When hospitals change medical suppliers or switch brands, unused items are usually discarded rather than used, said French.

Redistribute Supplies

Yet while this sort of waste is rampant in the U.S., around the world, doctors and nurses work without access to proper supplies. French was saddened when she learned, for example, doctors in the Ukraine, her father's native country, were performing rectal exams without gloves.

Many organizations around the world have benefited from MERCI over the past 15 years. In 2002, French traveled to Bolivia with a medical team from UVa to a hospital which had received thousands of pounds of supplies from MERCI.

Tackles Nursing Issues

French also believes it is important for nurses to band together on important issues. She strongly supports legislation to require an RN circulator be present in the OR during invasive procedures. Approximately 25 states now have a law stating the circulator has to be an RN, she said.

French believes errors occur in the OR when the RN circulator is absent or circulating between multiple rooms. She plans to continue advocating for this legislation in all states.

"Nurses can be a really strong organized group no matter what specialty someone is in," said French. "I became a nurse to protect my patients.