title: Rural hospital nursing: results of a national survey of nurse executives.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of the study was to describe nursing characteristics in small and larger rural hospitals and determine whether differences exist in market, hospital, and nursing characteristics.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  A better description of nursing in rural settings is needed to understand the work context.
  
  
  METHODS
  A national sample of rural hospital nurse executives (n = 280) completed the Nurse Environment Survey and Essentials of Magnetism instrument.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Larger rural hospitals are more likely than small hospitals to have a clinical ladder (32.4% vs 19.4%), more baccalaureate-prepared RNs (20.8% vs 17.1%), greater perceived economic (mean, 9.5 vs 8.5) and external influences (mean, 41.1 vs 39.8), lower shared vision among hospital staff (mean, 18.4 vs 19.4), and higher levels of quality and safety engagement (mean, 16.9 vs 16.1). Most nurses employed in rural hospitals are educated at the associate degree (77.4%) level.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Contextual differences exist between small and larger rural hospitals. To promote the best patient outcomes, attention to contextual differences is needed to tailor nursing interventions to fit the resources, environment, and patient needs in a given healthcare setting.
authors.affiliation: University of Maryland School of Nursing, 655 W Lombard Street, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA. newhouse@son.umaryland.edu
authors.forename: Robin P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Newhouse
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Morlock
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pronovost
authors.forename: Sara Breckenridge
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Sproat
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001509:Bed Occupancy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002391:Catchment Area, Health; D005260:Female; D006780:Hospitals, Rural / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009718:Nurse Administrators / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D024802:Nurse's Role; D015401:Nursing Administration Research; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015279:Organizational Culture; D012040:Regional Health Planning; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D017132:Workplace / Q000458:organization & administration*; D055815:Young Adult