Understanding Online Registered Nursing Students’ Attitudes Towards Environmentally Sustainable Healthcare

Background/Objectives: The healthcare sector is a significant source of pollution, and it is widely acknowledged that changes are required to transition to more sustainable healthcare practice. Nurses represent more than half of the sector’s workforce and are uniquely positioned to enact change. However, expertise on environmental sustainability within the nursing field is a barrier despite the topic being positively embraced by students. Methods: This research employed a cross-sectional design using an anonymous online survey with convenience sampling from registered nursing students studying online to understand their attitudes towards environmentally sustainable healthcare. Data were collected between April 2023 and January 2024 with quantitative results analysed using descriptive statistics and qualitative results using thematic analysis. Results: Results show that registered nursing students are aware of the negative environmental impact of healthcare practice, realise the importance of working more sustainably and understand the value and role of education to facilitate meaningful change in the sector. However, they called for more educational content, specifically on carbon footprints, waste management, and resource use, paired with organisational leadership support and workplace training in healthcare settings. Conclusions: Adopting these recommendations endorsed by student nurses in practice could support nurses to reduce the environmental burden of the healthcare sector and contribute to both net zero and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.