There will always be a constant need for nurses in America and around the world. Nursing is one of the few fields that offers an enormous amount of diversity in a single profession. It provides opportunities in all specialties of healthcare. One of the areas that is most often overlooked but is also one of the most rewarding is nursing in rural communities. .
Rural nursing is a challenging field of nursing that requires a "special person" to fulfill the role. They must be extremely committed to the care of the client at the individual, family, and community levels. A rural community allows the kind of involvement that is hard to find anywhere else. Because of the close knit nature of a rural community, there is a greater opportunity for nurses to develop a close and meaningful relationship with their patients. This is not often possible when working in a large urban medical facility. In rural communities, nurses are often caring for people they know and see every day at the supermarket, at church, and at Little League games. Being able to develop such a close relationship can promote trust and subsequently provides a better opportunity to provide holistic and compassionate care. .
Due to the fact that rural communities have unique needs combined with limited resources, improving the health of these communities is a significant challenge and concern. These areas are also sociologically, culturally, economically and spiritually different from metropolitan areas, as well as internally diverse (Morgan and Reel 3). It is these characteristics that define the health behavior of its residents, determine their health status and influence the way health and medical care is provided. Nursing is an integral part of maintaining the health and wellness of these communities. A great opportunity for patient teaching and wellness promotion exists in these areas. Because the demographic population tends to be in a lower socioeconomic class than suburban or urban areas, patient education and health promotion is essential.
