Factors influencing community nursing roles and health service provision in rural areas: a review of literature.
OBJECTIVE
This review sought to better understand the issues and challenges experienced by community nurses working in rural areas and how these factors shape their role.


METHODS
Databases were searched to identify relevant studies, published between 1990 and 2015, that focussed on issues and challenges experienced by rural community nurses. Generic and grey literature relating to the subject was also searched. The search was systematically conducted multiple times to assure accuracy.


RESULTS
A total of 14 articles met the inclusion criteria. This critical review identified common issues impacting community nursing and included role definition, organisational change, human resource, workplace and geographic challenges.


CONCLUSIONS
Community nurses are flexible, autonomous, able to adapt care to the service delivery setting, and have a diversity of knowledge and skills. Considerably more research is essential to identify factors that impact rural community nursing practice. In addition, greater advocacy is required to develop the role.
a Department of Health and Human Services , Westbury Community Health Centre , Westbury , Tasmania 7303 , Australia.
Annette
A
Barrett
b Department of Rural Health , University of Melbourne , PO Box 6500, Shepparton , Victoria 3630 , Australia.
Daniel R
DR
Terry
c Centre for Rural Health , School of Health Sciences, University of Tasmania , Locked Bag 1322, Launceston , Tasmania 7250 , Australia.
Quynh
Q
Lê
c Centre for Rural Health , School of Health Sciences, University of Tasmania , Locked Bag 1322, Launceston , Tasmania 7250 , Australia.
Ha
H
Hoang
D003152:Community Health Nursing; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009936:Organizational Innovation; D019035:Rural Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D017132:Workplace
community health nursing; health services needs and demand; nurse’s role; rural health; rural population