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Unheard voices: The critical role of nurses and midwives in climate resilience and disaster preparedness in Small Island Developing States

Kent, Susan, Jordan, Annastacia, Ingram-Martin, Patricia and Stewart, Deveree (2025) Unheard voices: The critical role of nurses and midwives in climate resilience and disaster preparedness in Small Island Developing States. Nursing Outlook, 73 . ISSN 1528-3968

Abstract
Island nations such as Barbados, Jamaica, and Tonga face rising threats from climate change, including hurricanes, flooding, and sea-level rise. Nurses and midwives are crucial frontline responders, leading disaster preparedness, emergency care, and community recovery. This paper highlights their leadership, resilience, and innovation in addressing the health impacts of climate-related disasters. Drawing on realworld examples, it shows how these professionals bridge clinical care with public health strategies, ensuring vulnerable populations receive timely, culturally appropriate interventions. Through education, emergency planning, and clinical support, they foster resilience and recovery. The experiences from these islands emphasize the urgent need to strengthen nursing and midwifery leadership within climate adaptation efforts. Recognizing and investing in their role is vital to building sustainable, climate-resilient health systems in Small Island Developing States (SIDS). The paper calls for increased policy support, funding, and capacity-building to empower nurses and midwives as essential agents of change.
Metadata
Item Type:Article (Published)
Refereed:Yes
Uncontrolled Keywords:Climate change response; Nursing and midwifery leadership; Disaster preparedness and response; Small Island Developing States (SIDS) Community resilience; Policy Research & Health Systems Strengthening
Subjects:Medical Sciences > Nursing
Medical Sciences > Pediatric nursing
DCU Faculties and Centres:DCU Faculties and Schools > Faculty of Science and Health
DCU Faculties and Schools > Faculty of Science and Health > School of Nursing, Psychotherapy & Community Health
Publisher:Elsevier Ltd
Official URL:https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/...
Copyright Information:Authors
ID Code:31519
Deposited On:10 Sep 2025 10:39 by Gordon Kennedy . Last Modified 10 Sep 2025 10:39
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