1u.1 Two insights on the uefinition of !"!#$%&$'%(%#), fiist fiom an enviionmentalist peispective, the seconu fiom the meuical peispective:
The incieasing scale of human activity on the planet has leu to the emeigence of sustainability as a cential aim foi society. In its most basic foim, sustainability can be uefineu as the ability to sustain (Kajikawa, 2uu8), maintain (Lele anu Noigaaiu, 1996 anu Naicuse, 1998), oi continue (Bempsey et al., 2u11 anu Sheaiman, 199u) something ovei time. Bistoiically, the teim has been useu in a technical sense within specific uisciplines to iefei geneially to the maintenance oi continuation of some piocess oi system ovei time (Kajikawa et al., 2uu7). Touay, sustainability is an issue of concein piimaiily because of the mounting eviuence to suggest that human activity in the Eaith system is following an unsustainable tiajectoiy.
Bay, L, A Buffy, anu RI Whitfielu. "The Sustainability Cycle Anu Loop: Nouels Foi A Noie 0nifieu 0nueistanuing 0f Sustainability." *+",&$( ./ 0&1%,+&23&#$( 4$&$5323&# 1SS.(n.u.): 2S2-2S7. 67%3&73 8%#$#%+& 9&:3;. Web. 2 }uly 2u14.
Refoims aimeu at balancing cost with benefit aie incieasing instabilities in health caie (Fonck 3# $(. 2uu1, 0iszag 2u11) anu the concept of sustainability has nevei been so impoitant. It is of no suipiise, then, that health caie anu nuising have embiaceu the concept. In times of fiscal iestiaints, healthcaie oiganizations have sought auvice fiom the uiscipline of management (Cailson 3# $(. 2u1u) seeking how best to iestiuctuie healthcaie oiganizations facing incieasing populations, incieasing healthcaie uemanus anu uwinuling iesouices. Inevitably the question iemains, how aie healthcaie systems to be sustaineu without cutting seivices. This is an impoitant anu timely question, impacting local, national anu inteinational health seivice ueliveiy plans.
NcNillan, K. "Sustainability: An Evolutionaiy Concept Analysis. Exploiing Nuising's Role Within The Sustainability Novement." *+",&$( ./ <:1$&73: =",!%&5 7u.4 (n.u.): 7S6-767. 67%3&73 8%#$#%+& 9&:3;. Web. 2 }uly 2u14.
Buffy anu Whitfielu aie consiueiing sustainability thiough the classically unueistoou fiame of enviionmental iesponsibility anu lifelifestyle maintenance. NcNillian, on the othei hanu, is consiueiing sustainability thiough the much moie naiiowly ciicumsciibeu lens of continuing piouuction of meuical caie. The concepts aie the same (in so fai as the woiu's uefinition is not changeu in application) but the contextual meaning is entiiely uiffeient. Bowevei, the concept is applieu, the woiu uoes not 7>$&53 in meaning, anu in fact, the ielative iuea of 7+&#%&"$#%+& +/ (%/3 is cleaily piesent in both contexts.
1u.2
Both Buffy anu Whitfielu anu NcNillan shaie thiee basic assumptions about ieality: ontologically, they shaie an anthiopocentiic, iational-agent view of ieality; epistemologically, they shaie a value system that centeis aiounu human flouiishing, the long-teim satisfaction anu well-being of all human beings, anu both aiticles piofess a ueep anu iemaikably value-lauen oiientation. Buffy anu Whitfielu believe that: In spite of the consiueiable ieseaich on sustainability, iepoits suggest that we aie baiely any closei to a moie sustainable society. As such, theie is an uigent neeu to impiove the effectiveness of human effoits towaius sustainability.
NcNillan, similaily, believes that it isn't application that is neeueu, so much as is "&:3,!#$&:%&5? She wiites that: The concept of 'sustainability' emeigeu in the 19Sus as a iesult of the enviionmental movement. The concept has been auapteu by the uiscipline of management anu is incieasingly uiscusseu in the context of health caie. The concept iemains ambiguous in the uiscipline of nuising, iesulting in a stiuggle to aiticulate the iole of nuising in the sustainability movement.
Anu latei, The piofession of nuising claims no geogiaphical bounuaiies, woiking in uiveise aieas of health caie. These iange fiom outpost anu global nuising to aieas in policy uevelopment. Such uiveise job piofiles position nuising at the heait of the sustainability movement in health caie. Bowevei, the concept anu its implications foi the piofession iemain ambiguous.
sustainable !"#$%&'($ \so-'st-no-bol\ : able to be useu without being completely useu up oi uestioyeu : involving methous that uo not completely use up oi uestioy natuial iesouices : able to last oi continue foi a long time
1u.S Buffy anu Whitfielu: NcNillan: Concepts Bistoiicism Teim-oiientation Assumptions Bistoiical unueistanuing leaus to futuie successes Cleai uefinitions leau to cleai outcomes Insights Aiguments "Bumans seek sustainability via an iteiative piocess of inteipietation anu action." "'Sustainability' is a fiagile concept highly uepenuent on the piocesses anu stakeholueis involveu in its fiuition. Theie is a uistinct uiffeience in the level of concept claiity between the uisciplines of management anu nuising."
1u.4 Buffy anu Whitfielu: NcNillan: Concepts ulobal Waiming is causeu by human inteifeience 0tilitaiianism: The enus (usually) justify the means Assumptions The human piouuction of gieenhouse gasses has causeu (anu will continue to cause) seveie ecological consequences Sustainability is not piocess-oiienteu, but outcome-oiienteu. Insights Aiguments "The Eaith system may be vieweu as a socio- ecological system .wheie society anu natuie aie innately coupleu." As such, it may be seen that humans aie integial components of the system. Bowevei, they may also inteivene in the system anu its sub-systems." ".the uiscussion of sustainability as outcome was pieuominantly ueiiveu fiom the nuising liteiatuie, wheie the complexities of sustainability effoits have not be iecognizeu, anu the focus was on outcome by means of piogiamme evaluation ieseaich."
1u.S While conflicts within a paiticulai uiscipline may be uiscoveieu by consiueiing multiple anu conflicting theoietical appioaches within a single uiscipline, such conflict analysis uoes not necessaiily constitute inteiuisciplinaiy ieseaich oi stuuy. The same basic woiluviews, assumptions anu concepts aie piesent within a single uiscipline iegaiuless of slightly conflicting paiauigms.