title: Decentralized nursing education in Northern Norway: towards a sustainable recruitment and retention model in rural Arctic healthcare services.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Decentralized nursing education (DNE) was established at Tromsø University College in 1990 and has since become a part of the bachelor programme in nursing at UiT The Arctic University of Norway. The objective of the study was to investigate whether and to what degree the first DNE programme established in Norway has contributed to recruitment and retention of registered nurses (RNs) in rural healthcare services.
  
  
  METHODS
  The quantitative survey took place in 2012. A questionnaire was distributed to 315 former students who had graduated from the DNE programme from 1994 to 2011.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The primary finding of this study is that the DNE successfully recruits students from rural areas of Northern Norway. Nearly, 87.5% have their first employment in community healthcare services. They continued to work in the rural areas and 85% still worked as nurses in 2012. The DNE programme has been successful regarding recruitment and retention of RNs to community healthcare services. Fifty-six percent have attended a variety of postgraduate programmes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The DNE programme demonstrates itself as a successful study model regarding recruitment and retention of RNs to rural and remote areas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health and Care Sciences, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway.
authors.forename: Bente
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Norbye
authors.forename: Mari Wolff
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Skaalvik
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001110:Arctic Regions; D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017145:Models, Educational; D009664:Norway; D009726:Nurses / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D010560:Personnel Selection / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010563:Personnel Turnover / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015397:Program Evaluation; D019035:Rural Health Services; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D000078329:Workforce; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: bachelor in nursing; decentralized nursing education; off-campus education; recruitment; retention; rural areas