Abstract
Aim
This paper aims to advance understanding of regional nursing and midwifery education as a mechanism for improving health equity and mitigating the human impacts of climate change in regional communities.
Background
Regional Australian nursing education faces direct and indirect climate change threats including infrastructure damage, funding pressures, and workforce disruption, whilst simultaneously serving communities with the greatest climate vulnerability and health inequities. Methods: This short communication provides the answers to reflexive questioning and the narrative analysis of two case studies, through the Health Equity Measurement Framework.
Findings
Findings demonstrate how regional nursing and midwifery education that addresses climate change, and community well-being, has the potential to improve quality of care and health outcomes within the regions. These impacts are made through several interventions across the HEMF to achieve maximum impact.
Conclusions
Regional nursing education represents a critical intersection between education policy and health equity outcomes in climate-vulnerable communities. Sustainability requires coordinated investment across education, health, and climate sectors, with particular attention to supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participation. Strategic positioning of regional nursing programs as health equity interventions offers significant potential for community resilience and climate adaptation.