title: Increasing quality and quantity of student placements in smaller rural health services: It can be done.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Future rural nursing and midwifery workforce shortage and current shortage of placements for undergraduate nursing and midwifery students.
  
  
  METHODS
  Developmental evaluation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five small hospitals and a regional community health service.
  Increased number of placements available for students; sustainable, quality clinical placement system in place for the future.
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinical facilitators developed a clinical facilitation model and resources that increased quality and quantity of student placements, assisted clinicians to provide higher quality teaching to students, enabled students to develop skills in rural health care service provision and enhanced knowledge around future career options.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Placement targets were met and all health services involved chose to continue the model of clinical facilitation developed after project funding ceased. The clinical education skills developed by staff under the project remain in the region to support future students.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is possible to create a sustainable, high-quality, rural placement experience for larger numbers of nursing and midwifery students. Funding sources are available to continue the clinical facilitation model in to the future, but for it to work optimally, a steady supply of students across the year is required.
authors.affiliation: Division of Health Sciences, School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Morgan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Gawler Health Service, Country Health SA Local Health Network, Gawler, South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Gerry
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lloyd
authors.affiliation: Angaston Hospital, Country Health SA Local Health Network, Angaston, South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Stefanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lobzin
authors.affiliation: Gawler Health Service, Country Health SA Local Health Network, Gawler, South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bartel
authors.affiliation: Gawler Health Service, Country Health SA Local Health Network, Gawler, South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Kym
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Medlicott
mesh_terms: D002321:Career Choice; D006801:Humans; D008880:Midwifery / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009726:Nurses / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D011231:Preceptorship / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011365:Professional Practice Location / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019035:Rural Health Services; D013021:South Australia; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000078329:Workforce
keywords: midwifery; nursing; rural workforce development; student placements; teaching and learning