Nursing perspectives on the health care of rural elders

• Published in: Geriatric nursing (New York) Vol. 22; no. 5; pp. 231 - 233
• Main Author: Rosswurm, Mary Ann
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Mosby, Inc 01-09-2001
• Subjects: Aged; Ambulatory Care Facilities - organization & administration; Community Health Nursing - organization & administration; Continuity of Patient Care - standards; Cooperative Behavior; Geriatric Nursing - organization & administration; Health Care Reform - organization & administration; Health Promotion - organization & administration; Health Services Accessibility - standards; Health Services for the Aged - organization & administration; Humans; Interprofessional Relations; Models, Educational; Models, Nursing; Needs Assessment; Nurse's Role; Nursing; Patient Care Team - organization & administration; Rural Health Services - organization & administration; Total Quality Management - organization & administration; United States; United States
• ISSN: 0197-4572; 1528-3984
• DOI: 10.1067/mgn.2001.119468

Nurses can play a significant role in providing culturally sensitive, community-based health care to rural elders. Health promotion, education, and coordination of care across settings are needed. Unfortunately, rural elders have limited access to nursing care and health care services in general. Inadequate financial support and inflexible reimbursement continue to impede accessibility to health care in those communities. Interdisciplinary collaboration and education models, nurse-managed clinics, and other innovative programs to improve quality and accessibility of health care for rural elders are being explored and evaluated. (Geriatr Nurs 2001;22:231-3)