Abstract
Background: The World Health Organization has identified climate change as the single biggest threat to human health. Healthcare systems will inevitably struggle to meet the increasing demand of a sicker population as climate hazards increase in frequency and intensity (e.g. extreme heat, air pollution, extreme weather events). The healthcare sector itself, however, is a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions, exacerbating the burden of disease on the patients and communities it serves. Radical transformation of the healthcare sector and its workforce is urgently needed to create climate-resilient health systems that align with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As the largest proportion of the global health workforce, nurses have a professional and ethical responsibility to address the health impacts of climate change.
Problem: Despite its profound impact on human health, climate change is often not integrated into undergraduate nursing curricula or continuing education. As a result, many nurses are unaware of the connection between climate change, health, and nursing practice.
Plan: This action plan, anchored in SDG 13 (Climate Action), aims to empower nurses and nursing students to become advocates and change agents for climate action. It focuses on connecting them with accessible online resources and training on the intersection of climate change and health. Strategies for integrating these concepts into nursing curricula and continuing education are also presented. Central to this effort is collaboration with key stakeholders (e.g. nursing faculty, clinical nurse educators, nurses associations, interdisciplinary partners). Continuous monitoring and evaluation will determine the effectiveness of educational strategies and identify further knowledge gaps. Conclusion: The ultimate goal of this action plan is to create a climate-smart nursing workforce that advances the SDGs. Empowered with the requisite knowledge and skills, nurses will be poised to influence policy, improve health outcomes, and lead the healthcare sector into a sustainable future.
Sigma Membership
Phi Gamma (Virtual)
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
N/A
Research Approach
N/A
Keywords:
Climate Change, Planetary Health, Global Health, Sustainability, United Nations, Sustainable Development Goals, Nursing Leadership, Nursing Education
Recommended Citation
Conflenti, Ongelique, "Empowering nurses as change agents for climate action: A global advocacy action plan" (2024). Global Advocacy. 2.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/ga/2024/presentations/2
Conference Name
Sigma Virtual Mini Academy: Global Advocacy
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Virtual Event
Conference Year
2024
Rights Holder
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Review Type
Faculty/Mentor Approved: Sigma Academy Participant Presentation
Acquisition
Self-submission
Empowering nurses as change agents for climate action: A global advocacy action plan
Virtual Event
Background: The World Health Organization has identified climate change as the single biggest threat to human health. Healthcare systems will inevitably struggle to meet the increasing demand of a sicker population as climate hazards increase in frequency and intensity (e.g. extreme heat, air pollution, extreme weather events). The healthcare sector itself, however, is a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions, exacerbating the burden of disease on the patients and communities it serves. Radical transformation of the healthcare sector and its workforce is urgently needed to create climate-resilient health systems that align with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As the largest proportion of the global health workforce, nurses have a professional and ethical responsibility to address the health impacts of climate change.
Problem: Despite its profound impact on human health, climate change is often not integrated into undergraduate nursing curricula or continuing education. As a result, many nurses are unaware of the connection between climate change, health, and nursing practice.
Plan: This action plan, anchored in SDG 13 (Climate Action), aims to empower nurses and nursing students to become advocates and change agents for climate action. It focuses on connecting them with accessible online resources and training on the intersection of climate change and health. Strategies for integrating these concepts into nursing curricula and continuing education are also presented. Central to this effort is collaboration with key stakeholders (e.g. nursing faculty, clinical nurse educators, nurses associations, interdisciplinary partners). Continuous monitoring and evaluation will determine the effectiveness of educational strategies and identify further knowledge gaps. Conclusion: The ultimate goal of this action plan is to create a climate-smart nursing workforce that advances the SDGs. Empowered with the requisite knowledge and skills, nurses will be poised to influence policy, improve health outcomes, and lead the healthcare sector into a sustainable future.
Description
The author was an academy scholar in the Sigma Virtual Mini Academy: Global Advocacy.