Abstract
BACKGROUND: Climate change-related environmental impacts, such as heatwaves, droughts, floods, and hurricanes, can significantly impact individuals' physical and mental well-being. Therefore, leveraging nurses' awareness of this looming issue is crucial. INTRODUCTION: Despite the correlation between climate change and health, research is scarce in nursing. Therefore, interactive web-based educational programs can effectively leverage nurses' knowledge of climate change by promoting participatory teaching and expanding their awareness through digital media. AIMS: To assess the impact of web-based educational programs on improving climate change awareness, climate activism, and pro-environmental behavior of primary health care rural nurses. METHOD: A randomized control trial design was adopted according to the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials guidelines (CONSORT). One hundred twenty-four nurses completed pre- and post-intervention assessments using the Climate Change/Global Warming Knowledge Questionnaire, Environmental Self-Efficacy Scale, and Pro-Environmental Behavior Scale. Then, they are equally divided into intervention and control groups. RESULTS: Effect sizes for climate awareness showed substantial influence, with η² values of 0.351 and 0.229; climate self-efficacy and Pro-Environmental Behavior PEBS demonstrated notable effect sizes (η²=0.292 and 0.141, respectively). CONCLUSION: Participants who received the web-based educational program demonstrated significant improvements in climate change knowledge, environmental self-efficacy, and pro-environmental behavior. These findings highlight the effectiveness of digital-based interventions in enhancing climate-related competencies among primary healthcare nurses. Future initiatives should explore the scalability of such programs to broader healthcare settings to further promote climate literacy and sustainable practices. IMPLICATION FOR NURSING: Providing primary care nurses working in rural areas with comprehensive knowledge can enable nurse managers to advocate for environmental sustainability and stewardship, promoting community health resilience. IMPLICATION FOR NURSING POLICY: Implementing a web-based educational program related to climate change will enable policymakers and decision-makers to ensure that primary care nurses in rural areas optimally contribute to climate advocacy and environmental health initiatives. This approach aligns with the World Health Organization's Global Strategic Directions for Nursing and Midwifery 2021-2025, which aims to achieve global health goals. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT: 06196476.