Nurse educators' knowledge and opinions about the “One Health” approach

Abstract

Aim

This study was conducted to reveal the knowledge and opinions of Turkish nurse educators about the One Health approach.

Background

One Health is a collaborative, multisectoral, and transdisciplinary approach working at local, regional, national, and global levels to achieve optimal health (and well-being) outcomes recognizing the interconnections between people, animals, plants, and their shared environment. Despite nurses' unique position to address inequities in health care for all people around the world, the concept of One Health is a relatively new concept in nursing.

Methods

This is a cross-sectional descriptive study involving a total of 272 nurse educators from various universities in Turkey. The email addresses of nurse educators were obtained from university websites, and the questionnaire form (created using the survey tool Google Forms) was then sent to them. Open-ended questions underwent content analysis, while multiple-choice questions were analyzed in terms of numbers and percentages.

Results

Eighty-two percent of nurse educators had never heard of or encountered the One Health approach before. Ninety-six percent of nurse educators think that the One Health approach should be included in nursing education. Nurse educators asserted that nursing should be included as a discipline in the One Health approach due to its relationship with the environment, health prevention and promotion, and its close contact with society.

Conclusion

The results of this study underscore the necessity of enhancing One Health knowledge among nursing educators. It is particularly significant that the majority of nurse educators had not previously encountered or been aware of the One Health approach, highlighting an important gap in awareness and understanding.

Implications for nursing and nursing policy

Nursing, silent in the realm of One Health, should integrate this approach, which encompasses human, animal, and environmental health, into nursing education, research, and practice. It is time for action to incorporate One Health into both undergraduate and graduate nursing education programs, conducting research in this area, and fostering collaborations.