Investigating Factors Affecting Nurses’ Intention Based on the Theory of Planned Behavior to Take Action Toward Sustainable Development Goals

AIM: This study aimed to examine the factors influencing nurses' intentions to take action toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within the framework of the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and to evaluate perceived behavioral control (PBC) in terms of future time perspective (FTP). METHODS: This cross sectional, descriptive, and correlational study included 651 nurses recruited using a snowball sampling method. Data were collected using a sociodemographic questionnaire, TPB-based questionnaires, and the sustainable development awareness scale. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to analyze the data using SPSS 26.0 and AMOS 24.0. Sample size adequacy was assessed using G*Power 3.1.9. RESULTS: FTP, attitudes toward SDGs, and subjective norms (SN) were positively associated with nurses' intentions to take action toward the SDGs. In addition, sustainable development awareness significantly and positively predicted intention. The proposed model explained 55.1% of the variance in nurses' intention to take action toward the SDGs, with FTP emerging as the strongest predictor. CONCLUSIONS: The findings support the usefulness of the TPB in explaining nurses' intentions to engage in SDG-related actions. Enhancing nurses' future-oriented perspectives and sustainable development awareness may strengthen their engagement with SDG initiatives.