Positioning Canadian Nurses as Leaders in Responding to the Mental Health Impacts of Climate Change: A Call to Action

Abstract

The concept of planetary health draws nurses’ attention to environmental disruptions, including climate change, that threaten the health of humans and our broader ecosystems. Among the many deleterious consequences of climate change are its adverse effects on mental health. These impacts have been identified in communities across Canada, with some groups disproportionately affected. As such, this topic ought to be integrated into undergraduate or pre-licensure curricula delivered to all nursing students, regardless of eventual practice setting. While there are potential barriers to realizing this curricular addition, there are existing educational materials that can be used to support this change. Moving forward, Canadian nursing bodies can play an instrumental role in supporting transformation through the development and ratification of relevant entry-to-practice competencies and by supporting the dissemination of evidence-aligned educational resources on climate change and mental health. Climate change offers an opportunity for Canadian nursing organizations, at the provincial and national levels, to provide leadership in responding to one of the defining health crises of our era.