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Opinion Volume 10 Issue 1
Sustainable convergence: the role of nursing in achieving the sustainable development goals (SDGs)
Darling Rocha Venturini,
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Italla Maria Pinheiro Bezerra
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Student of the Nursing Course, Santa Casa de Misericórdia School of Sciences of Vitória- EMESCAM, Brazil
Correspondence: Darling Rocha Venturini, Student of the Nursing Course, Santa Casa de Misericórdia School of Sciences of Vitória- EMESCAM, Brazil
Received: March 12, 2024 | Published: March 29, 2024
Citation: Venturini DR, Bezerra IMP. Sustainable convergence: the role of nursing in achieving the sustainable development goals (SDGs). Nurse Care Open Acces J. 2024;10(1):36. DOI: 10.15406/ncoaj.2024.10.00286
Opinion
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a global initiative of the United Nations (UN) launched in September 2015 as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. These goals represent a universal call to action to eradicate poverty, preserve the environment and ensure that all people have access to opportunities and well-being in an equitable and sustainable manner.1 Composed of 17 interconnected goals and 169 specific targets, the SDGs address a wide range of social, economic and environmental issues, aiming to overcome urgent challenges such as poverty, hunger, health, education, gender equality, clean water, sanitation, affordable energy, economic growth, decent work, reducing inequalities, sustainable cities, climate action, life on water, life on land, peace and justice.1
Nursing plays a vital role in health promotion and disease prevention, ensuring access to quality care and promoting healthy practices. In addition, their work covers areas such as gender equality, health education, reducing inequalities, among others, in line with the principles and targets set by the SDGs. By working on the front line of health services, nursing professionals contribute directly to various goals, including those related to health (SDG 3 - Health and Well-being). Thus, nursing not only responds to immediate health needs, but also contributes to building healthy and sustainable communities, aligning with the ideals of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals. Recognizing the importance of education on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a fundamental foundation to enable future nurses to actively contribute to achieving these goals, the proposal to incorporate the SDGs into nursing curricula is supported, based on Freire's pedagogy.2
According to Fields et al.3 the critical approach to education is essential for creating the necessary transformation, enabling nursing students to acquire knowledge and skills related to the SDGs, since it enables future nurses to act effectively, both in the field of research and in clinical practice and the formulation of health policies. In this context, by adopting this educational approach, nursing students not only acquire theoretical knowledge about the SDGs, but also develop an in-depth understanding of the underlying social, economic and environmental issues, promoting more conscious and engaged action in promoting sustainable development. The convergence between the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and nursing practice plays a crucial role in promoting a more equitable, healthy and sustainable future. As an advocate of holistic care, nursing occupies a prominent position in the realization of the SDGs, ranging from health promotion to the reduction of inequalities and the pursuit of peace and justice.
It is imperative to recognize the urgency of integrating the SDGs into nursing curricula, adopting a critical approach inspired by Freire's pedagogy. This methodology not only imparts knowledge about the goals, but also fosters critical awareness and transformative action skills among future nurses. By adopting this perspective, nursing professionals will not only stand out as care providers, but also as agents of social change, actively contributing to the achievement of the global goals. The inclusion of the SDGs in nursing education not only represents an investment in professional development, but is an essential strategy for addressing emerging global health challenges in a sustainable manner. By providing future nurses with an in-depth understanding of the SDGs, we are strengthening the profession's capacity to respond effectively to complex health problems, promoting equity and contributing to building a fairer and more sustainable world.
Acknowledgments
None.
Conflicts of interest
The authors declare that there is no conflicts of interest.
References
- United Nations (UN). Department of economic and social affairs. The 17 Goals; 2022.
- Costa AJS, Câmara G, Nogueira PJ, et al. Nursing and the sustainable development goals. Rev Lat Am Enfermagem. 2023;31:e4038.
- Fields LM, Perkiss S, Dean BA, et al. Nursing and the sustainable development goals: a scoping review. J Nurs Scholarsh. 2021;53(5):568–577.
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