Nursing students see the environment through a human-centered lens, metaphor study finds

Nursing students in western Türkiye largely imagine the environment in terms of what it does for people, according to a qualitative metaphor analysis published in BMC Nursing. When asked to complete statements such as “The environment is like … because …” and “Polluting the environment is like … because …”, 91 nursing students at a Turkish university produced metaphors that, in the researchers’ reading, reflected a predominantly anthropocentric view: the environment mattered chiefly as a setting for human well-being and health rather than as something with value in its own right.

The study used a phenomenological qualitative design, in which participants described the lived meanings they attached to two concepts: environment and environmental pollution. Data were gathered through an online form, and the responses were analyzed with content analysis following Saban’s 2008 stages of coding, refinement, category development, and validation. Each concept yielded 91 metaphors, one per student, which the researchers then sorted into thematic categories.

Metaphors for the environment fell into six categories: natural flow and continuity, source of life, reflective connection between humans and the environment, living space, human element, and aesthetic value. Metaphors for environmental pollution formed four categories: life-threatening element, irreversible process, value attributed to the environment, and cumulative and reciprocal impact. The pollution categories suggest that students saw contamination as dangerous and difficult to reverse, and as an offense against something they considered valuable.

The authors’ central conclusion is that these metaphor patterns point to an egocentric, human-centered perception. Students associated the environment primarily with human health and welfare, consistent with what the researchers describe as a human-focused professional identity in nursing. The study’s stated background frames this as a concern because environmental problems represent a major global health challenge that, in the authors’ view, requires a shift from anthropocentric to ecocentric perspectives in nursing education and practice.

Based on these findings, the researchers suggest that incorporating environmental health, ecological ethics, and sustainability principles into nursing curricula could help move students’ perceptions toward an ecocentric understanding. They also propose that promoting environmental literacy and interdisciplinary collaboration would empower future nurses to integrate ecological responsibility into holistic care. These are the authors’ recommendations drawn from their interpretation of the metaphor data, not measured outcomes of any curriculum change; the study examined perceptions at one point in time and did not test educational interventions.

As with any qualitative study, the scope of the findings is limited. The participants were 91 nursing students at a single university in western Türkiye, and metaphor analysis captures how students choose to express their conceptions rather than measuring environmental knowledge or behavior. The paper is published as open access research, with the version shared early carrying a permanent DOI and remaining subject to further editorial edits before the final version of record appears.

Subject of Research: Nursing students' metaphorical perceptions of the environment and environmental pollution

Article Title: Nursing students’ perceptions of the concept of environment: a metaphor analysis study

Article References: Korkmaz, E. K., Ateş, E., & Özsoy, S. (2026). Nursing students’ perceptions of the concept of environment: a metaphor analysis study. BMC Nursing. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-026-05338-9

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1186/s12912-026-05338-9

Keywords: nursing students, metaphor analysis, environment, environmental pollution, anthropocentric, ecocentric, qualitative research, phenomenology, nursing education, environmental health, sustainability, Türkiye