Now in its sixth edition, this authoritative classic remains the only text to provide a wide range of essential information for nurses who work in sparsely populated and vulnerable geographical areas. Focusing on rural nursing concepts, theory, research, education, public health, and healthcare delivery from a national and international perspective, the sixth edition is distinguished by its emphasis on practical applications. With ten completely new chapters and substantial revisions, it disseminates the skills and knowledge required for effective nursing practice, education, and research regarding the evolving rural and frontier setting.

Written for undergraduate and graduate nursing students, the book highlights the challenges of frontier nursing and the relative opportunities for innovative practice in rural healthcare. The effect and spread of the coronavirus on nonmetropolitan areas is covered throughout the text. Topics for discussion at the beginning of each chapter and case studies throughout the text promote critical thinking. An Instructor's Manual and PowerPoint slides accompany the text.

New to the Sixth Edition:

New Chapters on Theory and Research, Emergency Medical Services, Suicide Risk Assessment and Intervention, Interprofessional Education, FNP Competencies, Transcultural Service-Learning, and more!Incorporates the new challenges that coronavirus created and how to address them.Greater focus on practical applications for rural nursing practiceIncreased coverage of telehealth, evidence-based policy, and education programsUpdated models of practice and research

Key Features:

Covers critical issues for nursing professionals who are practicing, teaching, and conducting research in underserved areas.Expands understanding of the cultural characteristics of rural persons and places.Provides single-source reference of rural information for rural nurses, nursing students, faculty, and researchers.Authored by noted educators and practitioners of rural nursing from across the United States and Canada.Includes an Instructor's Manual and PowerPoints!

Section 1: Rural Nursing Theory & Research

Chapter 1: Rural Nursing: Past, Present & Future

Chapter 2: Rural Nursing: Developing the Theory Base

Chapter 3: Concept Analysis

Chapter 4: Updating the Rural Nursing Theory Base

Chapter 5: Lack of Anonymity: Changes for the 21st Century

Chapter 6: Rural Nursing Theory and Research on the Frontier

Chapter 7: Program of research in Rural settings

Section 2: Rural Nursing Practice

Chapter 8: The Distinctive Nature and Scope of Rural Nursing Practice: Philosophical Bases

Chapter 9: Understanding the Lived Experiences of the Rural Bedside Nurse: A Global View

Chapter 10: Experiences of Nurses Living in Rural Communities Who Commute for Employment

Chapter 11: The Nurse Practitioner as Rural Health Care Provider

Chapter 12: Using RNs in Primary Care: Opportunities and Challenges for Rural Clinics

Section 3: Healthcare Delivery in Rural and Frontier Settings

Chapter 13: Beyond the Symptom-Action-Timeline Process: Explicating the Health-Needs-Action Process

Chapter 14: Acceptability: One Component in Choice of Health Care Provider

Chapter 15: Telehealth in Rural Nursing Practice

Chapter 16: Emergency Medical Services (EMS) on the Frontier

Chapter 17: Palliative Care for the Rural Chronically Ill

Chapter 18: Challenges and Opportunities to Palliative Care for Rural Veterans

Chapter 19: Rural Youth Suicide Risk Assessment and Intervention for Rural Healthcare Providers and Families

Chapter 20: Improving Health Literacy About Complementary and Alternative Therapy Among Rural Dwellers

Section 4: Nursing Education

Chapter 21: Implications for Education, Practice, and Policy

Chapter 22: Clinical Placements in Rural Hospitals: Expanding Nursing Students' Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes toward Rural Healthcare

Chapter 23: Where You Live Matters: Bringing Interprofessional Education to the Rural Healthcare Workforce

Chapter 24: Explicating Family Nurse Practitioner Competencies for Rural Practice

Chapter 25: Development and Psychometric Evaluation of the Rural Knowledge Scale

Chapter 26: Developing and Sustaining the Rural Nursing Workforce Through Collaborative

Educational Models

Chapter 27: Transcultural Service-Learning: Preparing Nurses to Meet the Needs of Rural Indigenous Communities

Section 5: Vulnerable Populations

Chapter 28: Risks to Safety and Health for Migrant and Seasonal Farmworkers

Chapter 29: American Indian Perspectives on Palliative and End-of-Life Care

Chapter 30: An Evidence-Based Policy and Educational Program for Neonates Experiencing Opioid Withdrawal

Chapter 31: The Rural Participatory Research Model (RPRM)