I am acutely aware of the need of the people for personalised relationships - it is more important who you are than what your credentials might be. In small communities, the line between one's role as a nurse and as a person becomes blurred - simply because you live and work in an intimate way with people. Sometimes we may ignore the culture of the people more than we do the distances involved. Rural is a cultural phenomenon, not something described in geographic or population based terms. Her first impression of AARN was that it was very culturally rural, because the relationships are very laid back.
People seem to know each other and are very supportive to each other.
We have the National Rural Health Association in the US which is a large group with a fair sized nursing representation which now has formed a sub-group within this organisation. Nurses are not overwhelmed by the medical group in this organisation, so nursing is a legitimate and respected part of the organisation and gets a lot from the group. Ms Tahari-Kennedy is the team leader of the graduate program which is a speciality in rural health. She is the team leader of the program. She said she would take back some Australian perspectives and a feeling of partnership.