Reconceptualizing nursing curricula for planetary health: A web-based desktop audit

Background Despite international support for integrating planetary health into nursing curricula from academia, clinicians, and students themselves, there is limited evidence of incorporation into undergraduate curricula in Australia and New Zealand. Aim To obtain a snapshot of planetary health theory and practice in nursing curricula, to inform future education development at a professional and policy level. Methods A descriptive study incorporated a web-based desktop audit of preregistration nursing programs in Australia and New Zealand and surveyed program directors to ascertain the perceived level of importance of climate change and carbon emission reduction in curricula. Results The audit and survey demonstrated sparse evidence of planetary health in the Australian and New Zealand undergraduate nursing curriculum (11%), and the sub-optimal response to a survey regarding the integration of planetary health into the curriculum further supported evidence of limited integration. Conclusion The pedagogic recontextualization of planetary health within nursing curricula by employing case study concept nodes and utilizing the person-centered care framework by centering patients at the core of planetary health is required to amplify nursing's response to the global health priorities caused by climate change. ; Full Text