Nurses' Actions to Advance the Sustainable Development Goals: A Global Study

Area of Science:

• Nursing Science
• Global Health
• Sustainability Studies

Background:

• Registered nurses (RNs) are crucial for achieving the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• RNs' contributions to SDGs are often unrecognized within the nursing profession and by the public.
• Despite challenges, RNs demonstrate engagement with SDG targets at multiple levels.

Purpose of the Study:

• To document self-reported actions by RNs aimed at advancing the SDGs globally.
• To explore the diverse ways RNs contribute to achieving SDG targets.
• To identify recommendations for enhancing RN involvement in the sustainable development agenda.

Main Methods:

• A qualitative, descriptive, cross-sectional study design was employed.
• International participants were recruited through convenience and snowball sampling.
• Anonymous online surveys collected free-text descriptions of SDG-related actions, analyzed via directed content analysis within a social-ecological model framework.

Main Results:

• 309 RNs from 25 countries participated.
• RN actions were categorized into individual, community/organizational, and systems/policy levels, plus a 'no action' category.
• Examples of actions included policy engagement, community support, education, research, and utilizing telehealth for health equity.

Conclusions:

• The study enhances understanding of RNs' multifaceted contributions to the SDGs.
• Findings provide evidence to support the development of strategies for scaling RNs' impact on sustainable development.
• Increased recognition and support are needed to amplify RNs' role in achieving global sustainability goals.