The Alaskan villagers are kind to the nurses, who visit every other week, Andrew said. That s not to say life is free and easy in the country. Rural health care providers have been challenged by staffing shortages especially in key specialty areas for years, long before today s nursing shortage began to spark concern about a looming national crisis in health care. The experiences of rural care providers and nurses may provide some lessons for their counterparts in big cities who increasingly are facing the same staffing challenges, despite the bright lights and opportunities that have served as a magnet for millions of young, rural Americans during the past few decades. In any case, the rich experiences of rural nurses serve as a reminder of why so many have been drawn into the profession and remain committed to it.
Rural nursing tends to attract nurses who prefer to do it all rather than specialize.
The opportunity to try innovations such as telemedicine and to develop symbiotic relationships with physicians and the community are among the many advantages that can keep them hooked. Together we overcome Short staffing has become such a constant that specific recruitment and retention strategies have evolved. The hospital in rural areas is a community hub. The nurses there have a real opportunity to rally the community a better opportunity than in urban areas. Anna Engman, chief operating officer and director of nursing at Mayers Memorial Hospital, a 22-bed facility in Fall River Mills, a town in remote northeastern California, said physicians and nurses alike pull long shifts, come in on weekends, pay home visits and treat each other with respect.