Become a Rural Nurse

As their job title implies, rural nurse practitioners provide health care services to adults and children who live in rural areas. In other words, areas with widespread communities, perhaps separated by acres of land or mountains, where limited access to health care often puts populations at high risk for negative health outcomes.

According to the Rural Nurse Organization (RNO), approximately 25 percent of the population lives in rural areas. Unfortunately, what these places offer in peace and landscapes, they lack in appeal to health care practitioners who may have to take on considerable patient loads for a fraction of the income that cities pay.

Rural nurses are the exception, however. They confront the challenges that come with providing health care in these communities, serving as advocates for rural populations and bringing attention to their need for quality, comprehensive health care.

Rural Nurse Career Overview

Among their primary duties, rural nurses diagnose and treat patients for common acute illnesses as well as chronic conditions. In addition, rural nurse practitioners educate rural communities regarding health and wellness issues, serve as teachers and mentors to aspiring rural nurses, and research rural nursing issues as a means of improving the health of at-risk rural populations.

Through organizations such as the RNO, rural nurse practitioners also bring to the forefront their observations of the most critical health care issues that rural populations face. According to the Rural Assistance Center, these include women's health (which also contributes to critical health care issues concerning children) mental health, elderly care and dental health.

Rural Nursing Education

Rural nurse practitioners are registered nurses (RNs) who have earned a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) and a post-master's certificate with a focus in their specialty. Most master's programs take two years to complete and build on undergraduate nursing study. In general, MSN programs involve classroom work and a significant number of hours of practical experience, which may include clinical, teaching and research time. To become a certified nurse practitioner, you must pass a national certification exam. The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) offers certification for nurse practitioners (NPs) who meet specific eligibility requirements.

Rural Nurse Salary

As mentioned above, rural nursing does not pay the same rate as working as a nurse in larger metropolitan areas. However, rural communities generally have a much lower cost of living and offer a pastoral and less frenetic life style than urban settings. Rural nursing also provides for a high level of autonomy that nurses may not find inside big city limits.

April 2009 data from Salary.com indicates that the median annual salary for nurse practitioners across the United States ranges from $75,838 to $89,392. As a comparison, data from a sample of states that encompass large rural areas (Wyoming, Nebraska and West Virginia) shows that the median income for nurse practitioners falls between $60,000 and $90,000 per year.

Rural Nursing Career Outlook

The ongoing nursing shortage in the United States continues to present exceptional job opportunities for nurses across the country, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. And rural communities within the U.S. have a special need for advanced practice nurses who often serve as primary health care providers to medically underserved areas.

Rural nurse practitioners provide essential care and support to remote populations. Neither the job nor the hours are easy, but making a difference to the health and well-being of entire communities brings its own personal and professional rewards. If a rural nursing career appeals to you, now is the perfect time to join the profession. Take a closer look at what a nursing career has to offer, and start your nursing school search today.

Sources:
Rural Nurse Organization, 2009.
Denverpost.com, 2009.
NurseCredentialing.org, 2009.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2009.