Perspectives on Nursing in Rural Environments.* Angeline Bushy**
At least one-fourth of all Americans, Canadians, and Australians live in rural communities. At a global level the proportion of rural residents may be even higher especially in less developed nations. No matter what indicator is used, rural residents seem to have less than urban counterparts in per capita income, health status, access to care, level of education, and employment opportunities. Rural people are more likely to need help from health professionals and often must contend with obstacles not experienced by most urban residents. Since nurses live and work in rural communities, they, too, should be aware of and may need to contend with similar obstacles in their practice. This article highlights common themes associated with professional nursing in a rural environment from a national and international perspective, specifically in Australia, Canada, and the United States (Bushy, 1991; Bushy, In Press; USDHHS, 1994).
*Presented, in part, at the Fourth International Symposium "Rural Health and Safety in a Changing World" held October 18-22, 1998, in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.
**University of Central Florida, School of Nursing, Daytona Beach Campus, 1200 International Speedway Blvd., Daytona Beach, Florida 32114, telephone (904) 255-7423, ext. 4032, fax (904) 947-3128, e-mail: abushy@pegasus.cc.ucf.edu.
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