Nursing students' responses to unsustainable clinical practice: A cohort study

Climate change adversely affects the health of populations, making it vital for nurses to have the knowledge, skills, competencies and confidence to contribute to climate change adaptation and mitigation. Additionally, due to resource scarcity, there is a need to practice in more sustainable ways within the healthcare sector. Sustainability education is included in nursing curricula across different European universities and has been evaluated positively by students in previous studies. However, what was missing from the literature was an understanding of the extent to which the knowledge gained would translate into practice. This study explored whether second and third year nursing students at an English university where sustainability education was included in the curriculum were able to apply their knowledge in clinical practice. Data was collected using open-ended questions in a questionnaire. The results suggest that student nurses were able to make changes or challenge clinical practice as a consequence of sustainability education, particularly in their third year of study. However, some barriers to challenging unsustainable practice were noted by students, such as lack of confidence and a resistance to change within the clinical environment. This study suggests that sustainability education can support nursing students to implement change in clinical practice.