Western Australian Centre for Rural Health, University of Western Australia, Geraldton, WA 6531, Australia.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023 Mar 14;20(6):5113. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20065113.
The nursing workforce is the backbone of healthcare provision in rural and remote Australia. Introducing student nurses to rural clinical placements is one strategy used to address the shortfall of healthcare workers outside of major cities, with the goal of improving the training, recruitment and retention of nurses in rural areas. The aim of this qualitative, longitudinal study was to better understand personal and professional decision-making around rural nursing practice intentions and subsequent rural employment and retention. The study methodology consisted of repeated semi-structured interviews with student nurses who had completed at least one rural placement and following them on their journey to becoming graduate nurses over a 6-year period. Thematic longitudinal analysis was undertaken, with three main themes developing, each with further subthemes: (1) participants' satisfaction with rural placements; (2) their challenges with gaining employment; and (3) considerations regarding 'going rural' for work. The participants engaged in both prospective and retrospective reflection around several professional, personal, and wider systemic barriers and enablers to rural practice, which are discussed in detail in this paper. The insights from this longitudinal study have the potential to assist the development of a sustainable rural nursing workforce through informing rural workforce programs, strategies and policies.
护理人员是澳大利亚农村和偏远地区医疗服务的支柱。将护生引入农村临床实习是解决大城市以外医疗工作者短缺的策略之一，目的是提高农村地区护士的培训、招聘和留用率。本研究采用定性、纵向研究方法，旨在更深入地了解学生护士在农村护理实践意愿方面的个人和职业决策，以及他们随后在成为注册护士后的农村就业和留用情况。研究方法包括对至少完成过一次农村实习的护生进行多次半结构化访谈，并在 6 年的时间里跟踪他们成为注册护士的过程。采用主题性纵向分析方法，得出了 3 个主要主题，每个主题都有进一步的子主题：（1）参与者对农村实习的满意度；（2）他们在就业方面面临的挑战；（3）对农村工作的考虑。参与者围绕农村实践的几个专业、个人和更广泛的系统障碍和促进因素进行了前瞻性和回顾性的反思，本文对此进行了详细讨论。这项纵向研究的结果有可能通过为农村劳动力项目、战略和政策提供信息，从而有助于建立可持续的农村护理劳动力队伍。
