title: Effects of size of health service on scope of rural nursing practice.
abstract: This paper presents the findings of an analysis of the activities of rural nurses from a national audit of the role and function of the rural nurse (Hegney, Pearson and McCarthy 1997). The results suggest that the size of the health service (defined by the number of acute beds) influences the activities of rural nurses. Further, the study reports on the differences of the context of practice between different size rural health services and the impact this has on the scope of rural nursing practice. The paper will conclude that the size of the health service is an outcome of rurality (small population densities, distance from larger health facilities, lack of on-site medical and allied health staff). It also notes that the size of the health service is a major contextual determinant of patient acuity and staff skill-mix in small rural hospitals, and therefore the scope of rural nursing practice.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Science, University of Southern Queensland.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hegney
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: McCarthy
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pearson
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001315:Australia; D002391:Catchment Area, Health; D006276:Health Facility Size; D006780:Hospitals, Rural; D006801:Humans; D007587:Job Description; D008507:Medically Underserved Area; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009740:Nursing Staff / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000523:psychology*; D017009:Professional Autonomy; D019035:Rural Health Services; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D000078329:Workforce