TY - JOUR
T1 - Rural hospital nursing
T2 - Results of a national survey of nurse executives
AU - Newhouse, Robin P.
AU - Morlock, Laura
AU - Pronovost, Peter
AU - Breckenridge Sproat, Sara
PY - 2011/3/1
Y1 - 2011/3/1
N2 - OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to describe nursing characteristics in small and larger rural hospitals and determine whether differences exist in market, hospital, and nursing characteristics. BACKGROUND: A better description of nursing in rural settings is needed to understand the work context. METHODS: A national sample of rural hospital nurse executives (n ≤ 280) completed the Nurse Environment Survey and Essentials of Magnetism instrument. RESULTS: Larger rural hospitals are more likely than small hospitals to have a clinical ladder (32.4% vs 19.4%), more baccalaureate-prepared RNs (20.8% vs 17.1%), greater perceived economic (mean, 9.5 vs 8.5) and external influences (mean, 41.1 vs 39.8), lower shared vision among hospital staff (mean, 18.4 vs 19.4), and higher levels of quality and safety engagement (mean, 16.9 vs 16.1). Most nurses employed in rural hospitals are educated at the associate degree (77.4%) level. CONCLUSIONS: Contextual differences exist between small and larger rural hospitals. To promote the best patient outcomes, attention to contextual differences is needed to tailor nursing interventions to fit the resources, environment, and patient needs in a given healthcare setting.
AB - OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to describe nursing characteristics in small and larger rural hospitals and determine whether differences exist in market, hospital, and nursing characteristics. BACKGROUND: A better description of nursing in rural settings is needed to understand the work context. METHODS: A national sample of rural hospital nurse executives (n ≤ 280) completed the Nurse Environment Survey and Essentials of Magnetism instrument. RESULTS: Larger rural hospitals are more likely than small hospitals to have a clinical ladder (32.4% vs 19.4%), more baccalaureate-prepared RNs (20.8% vs 17.1%), greater perceived economic (mean, 9.5 vs 8.5) and external influences (mean, 41.1 vs 39.8), lower shared vision among hospital staff (mean, 18.4 vs 19.4), and higher levels of quality and safety engagement (mean, 16.9 vs 16.1). Most nurses employed in rural hospitals are educated at the associate degree (77.4%) level. CONCLUSIONS: Contextual differences exist between small and larger rural hospitals. To promote the best patient outcomes, attention to contextual differences is needed to tailor nursing interventions to fit the resources, environment, and patient needs in a given healthcare setting.
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U2 - 10.1097/NNA.0b013e31820c7212
DO - 10.1097/NNA.0b013e31820c7212
M3 - Review article
C2 - 21336041
AN - SCOPUS:79952147121
VL - 41
SP - 129
EP - 137
JO - Journal of Nursing Administration
JF - Journal of Nursing Administration
SN - 0002-0443
IS - 3
ER -