Aletha Ward

Dr. Aletha Ward

School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia
orcid

Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

6Years (2021-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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13 July 2024 in Nursing Outlook
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
Aletha WardAletha Ward
Aletha Ward
SMSophia Martin
Sophia Martin
CRCatelyn Richards
Catelyn Richards
IWIsabella Ward
Isabella Ward
TTTracey Tulleners
Tracey Tulleners
OBOdette Best
Odette Best
Climate Change is causing frequent and sever extreme weather events globally, impacting human health and well-being. Primary healthcare (PHC) nurses' are at the forefront of addressing these challenges and must be prepared. This scoping revieww explored literature on the preparedness of the PHC nursing workforce for extreme weather events and identify gaps in knowledge and practice. Using Arksey and O'Malley's framework, a comprehensive search was conducted across PubMed, Scopus, CINHAL, Web of Sciences, and ProQuest, on studies from 2014-2024, addressing PHC nurses' preparedness. Nine studies were identified and highlighted a need for preparedness training and facility-based preparedness plans. Key themes included prioritizing regional networks, clinical leadership, service delivery, health information, health workforce, medical products and technologies, and financing. Strengthening PHC nurses' resilience against extreme weather requires targeted professional development, mental health support, comprehensive planning, and collaborative efforts. Future strategies should enhance PHC nurses' capacity through training, support, and policy development.


14 April 2022 in Teaching and Learning in Nursing
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
Aletha WardAletha Ward
Aletha Ward
DHDiane Heart
Diane Heart
CRCatelyn Richards
Catelyn Richards
LBLuke Bayliss
Luke Bayliss
MHMark Holmes
Mark Holmes
OBOdette Best
Odette Best

26 April 2023 in Teaching and Learning in Nursing
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
CRCatelyn Richards
Catelyn Richards
MHMark Holmes
Mark Holmes
RNRose Nash
Rose Nash
Aletha WardAletha Ward
Aletha Ward

2 April 2024 in Contemporary Nurse
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
TLTracy Lynn Levett-Jones
Tracy Lynn Levett-Jones
JBJames Bonnamy
James Bonnamy
JCJack Cornish
Jack Cornish
EMElaine Correia Moll
Elaine Correia Moll
LFLorraine Fields
Lorraine Fields
Aletha WardAletha Ward
Aletha Ward
This paper illustrates how empowering nurses to design and implement sustainability and planetary health initiatives can build the capacity of the workforce to respond to the impacts of climate cha...

9 June 2025 in Nurse Education Today
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
Aletha WardAletha Ward
Aletha Ward
JCJulia Charalambous
Julia Charalambous
CACarolyn Antoniou
Carolyn Antoniou
Leah EastLeah East
Leah East
Tracey MoroneyTracey Moroney
Tracey Moroney
TLTracy Lynn Levett-Jones
Tracy Lynn Levett-Jones
Planetary health, which recognises the interdependence between human and environmental health, is a growing imperative in healthcare. Nurses are at the frontline of climate-related health challenges, yet planetary health remains largely absent from professional nursing standards and practice. While the International Council of Nurses (ICN) explicitly identifies environmental responsibility as a nursing obligation, national nursing standards, including the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) Registered Nurse Standards for Practice (2019), fail to integrate planetary health principles. This regulatory gap limits nursing's capacity to address climate-related health disparities, weakening the profession's ethical commitment to sustainability and global health. This contemporary issues paper examines the alignment between planetary health and nursing's professional values, focusing on five key values-advocacy, empathy, equity, reciprocity, and hopefulness-that underpin ethical nursing practice. Drawing on the ICN Code of Ethics and the Planetary Health Framework, we argue that integrating these values into nursing standards and education is critical for preparing nurses to lead in planetary health. We review international nursing standards and highlight their lack of explicit commitment to environmental responsibility. To bridge this gap, we propose embedding planetary health values into nursing education through curriculum reform, experiential learning, and accreditation requirements. Equipping nursing students with the knowledge and skills to address planetary health challenges will strengthen their professional identity and leadership capacity. Aligning nursing standards with planetary health principles will not only uphold ethical obligations but also position nurses as key advocates in creating sustainable, adaptive, and equitable healthcare systems. Without regulatory and educational reform, planetary health risks remain a peripheral concern rather than a core nursing responsibility.