Sustainable Health Care in School of Nursing Educational Programs
The School of Nursing is committed to incorporating sustainable principles into nursing education. This commitment is shown through inclusion of competency focused on understanding the effects of climate change on the environment and populations within the AACN Essentials. Additionally, it aligns with the vision statement of the National League of Nursing regarding climate change and its implications for health.
Nursing’s leadership in sustainability stems from its commitment to holistic care, advocacy for health and environmental justice, innovation in sustainable healthcare practices, education and awareness building, and collaborative efforts to promote a healthier, more sustainable future for all. This commitment at the School of Nursing is shown through the inclusion of competencies focused on understanding the effects of climate change on the environment and populations within the AACN Essentials.
AACN competencies at the Entry to Professional Practice level and Advanced Nursing Practice level addressing the environment are being met:
3.6.b. Understand the impact of climate change on environmental and population health, and
2.2.i. Apply individualized information, such as genetic/genomic, pharmacogenetic, and environmental exposure information in the delivery of personalized health care.
Additionally, the School of Nursing’s commitment aligns with the vision statement of the National League of Nursing regarding climate change and its implications for health.
Education
Through elective undergraduate courses, nursing students can focus on sustainable and environmental health care. For example, in NUR 1141 – Health Disparities in Vulnerable Populations and Ethnic Cultural Groups, students learn about the specific health conditions affecting racial and ethnic groups, social justice and environmental justice issues affecting their health. In NUR 1829 – Contemporary Issues Cross Cultural Health provides students with an opportunity to increase awareness of how delivery and acceptance of health care may be influenced by social, cultural, and environmental factors. At the graduate level, NUR 2010 - Health Promotion and Disease Prevention in Culturally Diverse Populations focuses on individual and community health promotion assessments, screenings, and interventions in diverse populations.