Sustainable healthcare education: integrating planetary health into clinical education

A cohort study of sustainability education in nursing

“…There has been limited attention to the knowledge and competencies nurses will need in order to respond to global sustainability challenges;; traditionally within higher education there has been an absence of climate change and sustainability topics in nursing (Goodman and Richardson, 2010;; Goodman, 2011). However indications are that this is a growing area in healthcare professions (Schwerdtle et al, 2019;; Walpole et al, 2019). Furthermore, some important insights can be gained from the wealth of global research into the more general field of Higher Education for Sustainable Development.…”

“…For example the work with 3D design students at the University of Plymouth, as part of their sustainable materials module has been recognised by a green gown award in 2014 (http://youtu.be/zIFT2Dbg08o).Other areas are seeing the relevance of this approach for example working with business students on resource management and supply chain challenges of climate change(Mukonoweshuro;. These teaching materials are relevant for learning objectives for sustainability education that could be shared across health disciplines Walpole et al (2019),. for example, outline sustainable healthcare learning outcomes that, although developed in medicine, are applicable across all healthcare professionals and health systems.…”

Preparing for the future of public health: ecological determinants of health and the call for an eco-social approach to public health education

“…Building on insights across these working groups, EDGE undertook a preliminary scan of needs, challenges, and assets in relation to EDoH in the context of public health education in Canada (EDGE 2018). This scan provides an overview of the emerging state of the field, recognizing the connections with converging and inter-related developments relevant to public health, including but not limited to ecological public health (Rayner and Lang The EDGE report offers an initial appraisal of key educational resources and emerging initiatives (including a matrix of options for integrating EDoH into education strategies: EDGE 2015, Table 1) and highlights overlaps with other timely critiques of the need for the redesign of public health education and practice to respond to contemporary challenges (see Poland et al 2019;Walpole et al 2019;Yassi et al 2017).…”

“…First, we recognize that integrative approaches to health that address both social and ecological determinants of health are not new. There are a range of ongoing efforts to connect equity, ecosystems, and public health that can be and have been applied in practical, clinical, and policy contexts (see, for example, Buse et al 2018;O'Connell 2017;Parkes et al 2017;Poland and Dooris 2010;Walpole et al 2019;Webb et al 2010;Yassi et al 2017).…”

“…Fifth, we recognize that educational reform, while necessary for proactive change, is not sufficient in and of itself. The systemic drivers of ecosystem degradation and social inequity are deeply entrenched and not easily amenable to change through the application of 'enlightened' information alone: the deficit model of educational reform and change-making has underperformed relative to current demands (Parkes et al 2017;Walpole et al 2019;Yassi et al 2017). While EDGE and this commentary have focused on the education implications of embracing eco-social approaches to the EDoH, these need to be seen as synergistic with the urgent need for a fulsome whole-of-society retooling of the systems and power structures that continue to perpetuate both ecological and social degradation (Poland et al 2011;Ratima et al 2019;Whitmee et al 2015).…”