Júlio Belo Fernandes, Diana Vareta
The One Health framework emphasizes the interdependence of human, animal, and environmental health. Nurses, as the largest group of healthcare professionals and often the first point of contact with patients and communities, routinely engage in activities aligned with One Health objectives, including vaccination campaigns, community education, infection prevention, environmental monitoring, and the management of non-communicable diseases. Despite this, nursing contributions remain largely unrecognized, and One Health principles are seldom integrated into education, practice, or policy frameworks. This paper highlights the critical role of nursing in operationalizing One Health and identifies barriers to its recognition. It provides targeted recommendations to embed One Health into nursing curricula, promote experiential learning, support continuing education, foster research, formalize nursing roles, strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration, leverage digital technologies, and enhance professional advocacy and leadership. Recognizing and supporting nursing in One Health can significantly strengthen global health initiatives.