Awareness of Sustainable Consumption Behaviors Among Nursing Students During Their Practical Training

4. Uluslararası 8. Ulusal Temel Hemşirelik Bakım Kongresi’, Çanakkale, Türkiye, 1 - 03 Ekim 2026, ss.166, (Özet Bildiri)

Aim: Sustainable consumption refers to the use of goods and services that meet basic needs and

improve quality of life while minimizing the use of natural resources, toxic materials, waste

generation, and environmental pollutants throughout their life cycle, taking into account the needs of

future generations. This study was conducted to determine the relationship between nursing students’

sustainable consumption behaviors and their approaches toward the sustainability of resources used

during practical training.

Method: This descriptive and correlational study was conducted with 153 nursing students enrolled

at a foundation university in Istanbul, Türkiye. Data were collected using the Descriptive Information

Form and the Sustainable Consumption Behavior Scale. Statistical analyses were performed using

SPSS 26.0. Descriptive statistics, Kruskal–Wallis test, Mann–Whitney U test, and One-Way ANOVA

were used for data analysis. Ethical approval was obtained from the university ethics committee, and

institutional permission was secured prior to data collection.

Results: The mean age of the participants was 21.03 ± 1.1 years. Most participants were female

(88.2%, n=135), 35.9% were third-year students (n=55), and 20.3% (n=31) had received education

on sustainability. The mean scores of the Sustainable Consumption Behavior Scale were 3.10 ± 0.86

for environmental sensitivity, 2.84 ± 0.94 for unnecessary purchasing, 3.45 ± 1.02 for saving

behavior, and 3.24 ± 0.89 for reusability. The overall sustainable consumption behavior score was

2.68 ± 0.33. Students demonstrated a low tendency to act in accordance with sustainability principles

during practical training. Their behaviors related to disposing of waste in appropriate waste units

during laboratory or clinical practice, avoiding excessive use of medical supplies, and using resources

carefully and responsibly were found to be at a moderate level.

Conclusion: The findings indicate that nursing students exhibited a moderate level of sustainable

consumption behavior overall. Although students demonstrated relatively high awareness regarding

the responsible use of materials and resources, they believed that sustainability principles were not

adequately integrated into clinical education. Strengthening the incorporation of sustainability

concepts into nursing curricula and practical training may contribute to the development of more

sustainable healthcare practices.