Need for Nursing Advocacy to Address the Effects of Climate Change on Maternal and Neonatal Care.

Extreme heat and air pollution, which are exacerbated by climate change, worsen maternal and neonatal health, especially for non-White women. Because of the wide array of health risks related to climate change, advocating for individual patients alone is not sufficient to create necessary change. Although nurses experience numerous barriers to engaging in public policy, their engagement remains a critical aspect to improving maternal and neonatal health outcomes related to climate change. Professional nursing organizations can provide nurses with resources and offer the necessary skills to effectively advocate and participate in public policy at the local, state, or national level. In this commentary, I review the importance of nurse engagement in climate change advocacy and public policy.