What Is Rural Nursing?

Nurses who work in areas that are not densely populated, usually on remote locations, are considered to be part of rural nursing.

Rural nursing is in core general nursing, but the job of a rural nurse can be challenging in other factors than the job of a nurse who works in an urban location.

These patients usually have limited access to healthcare and can experience a lack of some medical equipment.

Rural nurses work in smaller facilities and don’t have access to everything.

That is why a rural nurse must be able to think critically and to assess patients of all ages with a wide range of complaints.

Nurses in the urban area specialize in various fields such as emergency medicine, cardiology, telemetry, surgery, and other fields.

In rural settings, nurses had to be able to assess all patients, no matter the injury or disease, because there are no specialized nurses for each issue.

Because of that, rural nurses enjoy greater autonomy in making decisions and providing care to patients.

The population is diverse in the rural nursing setting as well, which may change patient care.

Some nurses work with the Native American population on the tribal land and have to respect the diversity and cultural differences.

Other nurses treat patients with Latino patients or patients who have a lower socioeconomic status.

Some populations have distinct requirements and rural nurses have to be able to identify and address those specific and individual issues.

Because of the specific and distinct work setting and isolated geographical location, the rural nurse usually develop closer relationships with patients.

In some rural communities, nurses are considered as a part of the family.