Researchers Complete National Rural Nursing Study

February 25, 2005 for immediate release

A first-ever national study of rural nurses has shown that the number of rural nurses has been declining and that their work experiences are very different from their counterparts in urban centres.

In The Nature of Nursing Practice in Rural and Remote Canada, researchers conducted a first-ever survey of nearly 4,000 rural nurses, conducted detailed interviews with 152 rural nurses, reviewed more than 200 documents that relate to rural nursing practice, and analysed the national database of registered nurses. Between 1994 and 2002, the number of rural nurses declined by 1655 – a drop of 3.9%. Over the same period, the average age of rural nurses increased from 40.6 to nearly 43 years. Currently in Canada’s urban centres, there are about 78 nurses per 10,000 people. In rural areas, there are only 62 nurses per 10,000 rural residents. “In looking at these figures, and listening to what rural nurses told us in the study, we’re asking who’s going to be there for rural communities,” says researcher Judith Kulig from the University of Lethbridge.

“In addition to quantifying the decline in the number of rural nurses, we wanted to get a comprehensive view of what rural nursing is really like. This has never been done in Canada before,” says Martha MacLeod, a professor in the UNBC Nursing program, pictured at left during the announcement. “The survey and interviews we conducted have shown that rural nurses have greater responsibility and generally fewer technical and human resources to support them. The details of our study have implications for health policy, rural nurse education, and for community efforts to recruit and retain nurses.”

The research project was led by faculty at the University of Northern British Columbia, the University of Lethbridge, Laurentian University, and the University of Saskatchewan. Other researchers and advisors participated from all parts of Canada. The primary funding for the research came from the Canadian Health Services Research Foundation but the list of funding partners (see below) includes representation from every province and territory. Never before has a UNBC research project involved such extensive geographic participation.

Funding provided by:

The Canadian Health Services Research Foundation

Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research

Canadian Institutes of Health Research

Canadian Institute for Health Information

Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research

Nova Scotia Health Services Research Foundation

Saskatchewan Industry and Resources

Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care

Government of Nunavut

British Columbia Ministry of Health Services

British Columbia Rural and Remote Health Research Institute at UNBC