The conceptualisation and operationalisation of nature in health professional education: A scoping review

This scoping review examined how the therapeutic benefits of nature for health are conceptualised and operationalised in health professional education. The climate crisis has prompted urgent calls for change in health systems and services and highlighted the importance of the nature-health relationship. Transformational change requires examination of the underlying values that shape health professional education and, therefore, health systems and services.

The scoping review was conducted in accordance with the Joanna Briggs Institute framework and reported in accordance with the PRISMA extension for scoping reviews checklist.

A systematic search was undertaken in Scopus, MEDLINE Full Text, CINAHL Plus, PsycINFO and Education Resource Complete to retrieve relevant literature published from inception to September 2023. Only articles that conceptualised nature and nature exposure as health enhancing were included. Data were synthesised in narrative form.

A total of 8 articles met the inclusion criteria. The included articles applied the concept of nature exposure as health enhancing in both education and clinical settings. Most utilised theoretical frameworks underpinned by an ecological perspective.

Findings from this review suggest the role of nature in supporting human health is undervalued in health professional education, reflecting underlying values which separate human health from ecological systems. This represents a missed opportunity to foster equitable, resilient and sustainable healthcare. Future research should focus on developing innovative ways to broaden dominant paradigms and facilitate meaningful integration of nature-based concepts into core health curricula.