Keywords
climate change education
nurse educators
knowledge
perceptions
implications
How to Cite
Abstract
Introduction
Climate change is rapidly becoming a global challenge, posing increased risks to human health. The United Nations has set a target to take urgent action to combat climate change and to strengthen educational institutions by incorporating climate change education into their curricula by 2030. This initiative is supported by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Although nurses are at the forefront of managing health impacts related to climate change, little is known about the extent to which climate change is incorporated into their training on environmental education.
Purpose
This review aimed to explore the knowledge and perceptions of nurse educators regarding climate change and its implications for nursing care.
Methods
A systematic search strategy was applied to identify articles focusing on nurse educators' understanding of climate change and its effects on nursing care. Databases searched included ProQuest Central, PubMed, ClinicalKey, EBSCOhost, Scopus, Web of Science, Sage Journals, and Google Scholar. The search yielded 431 articles published between 2014 and 2024. Of these, 14 articles met the inclusion criteria and were analysed using content analysis.
Results
The review of 14 studies revealed that 87% of nurse educators acknowledged climate change as a global concern, but only 42% reported confidence in teaching its health impacts. Five major themes emerged: (1) acknowledgment of climate change as a global phenomenon, (2) scientific knowledge and understanding of climate change education, (3) integration of content into curricula, (4) perceptions of climate change and its impact on health among nurse educators, and (5) barriers to incorporating climate change education into nursing curricula. Nurse educators’ global health experience and interest enhanced their perception of the relevance of climate change to nursing education.
Conclusion
Climate change poses significant challenges in terms of resource availability, curriculum integration, and educator readiness. There is an urgent need for competency building, curriculum reform, and resource development to prepare nurses for climate-related health challenges. Interdisciplinary collaborations, standardized guidelines, and frameworks that support the integration of climate change content into nursing education are recommended.
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