Knowledge and practice of nurses toward climate change at Bahariya Oasis in Egypt

Abstract

Background Climate change poses a significant risk to the population’s health. Nurses are the best group to take action against the health hazards caused by climate change. However, their knowledge and practice of this phenomenon is unknown. Aim To assess the knowledge and practice of nurses toward climate change at Bahariya Oasis, Egypt. Design A descriptive exploratory design was utilized to fulfill the aim of this study. Setting The study was conducted at Bahariya Oasis, Giza Governorate, Egypt. Sample All 213 nurses working at all available settings affiliated with the health sector were included in this study. Tools for data collection I. Nurses’ climate change knowledge questionnaire, and II. Nurses’ self-reported practice checklist. Results The current study results showed that 67.1% and 65.7% of nurses had correct incomplete knowledge regarding the definition and causes of climate change, respectively. 90.6% and 88.7% of nurses had incorrect knowledge about the effects of household items and high temperatures, respectively. 86.4% of nurses did not conduct awareness programs and instructions on preserving the environment. 68.5% of nurses used public transportation to get to work. Conclusion Three-quarters of nurses had partially satisfactory knowledge, and the majority of them had poor practice regarding climate change. Recommendations The current study recommended that nurses should receive continuous updating knowledge and training toward climate change. Further researches are recommended to find out knowledge and practice among nurses on a large scale for generalization.