We are all going to die.
And, in the end, the best we can hope for is to be safe, comfortable and surrounded by family and loved ones.
However, new research from University of New England Nursing academic, Elaine Towner, has revealed that such an ideal outcome may prove more challenging in rural areas.
Elaine’s research focused on new graduate registered nurses caring for deteriorating patients in rural areas, and it has uncovered the many hurdles they face while providing care.
“This research has given me insight into the new graduates’ experiences, which were described as overwhelming with feelings of anxiety, stress, fear and being out of their depth. New graduates also highlighted that support from an experienced rural and remote nurse was the most beneficial practice to ensure they can deliver safe nursing care and feel safe themselves,” says Elaine.
UNE School of Health Nursing academic, Elaine Towner.
“In rural and remote health, digital technologies are leading the way for healthcare; however, this fundamental part of undergraduate education has only recently begun to receive the attention it needs, hence, the new graduate nurses struggled in this instant use of these tools.
“The findings of this research have highlighted recommendations to improve the experience of caring for the deteriorating patient in rural areas for new graduate registered nurses and also ensure patient safety through adequate training and support.”
The limited resources, geographical isolation and pressing need for targeted interventions to support and empower new graduate nurses is something Elaine has experienced firsthand.
“My early years were spent on the south coast of NSW, moving and attending to all my schooling and nursing study in regional areas. During my undergraduate education I attended clinical placements in metropolitan, regional and rural health services. Then beginning, and continuing, my nursing career in regional NSW I had many experiences of the challenges of rural nursing where resources and support are limited and the registered nurse, even while a beginner, is required to work at a high generalist level.
“This lived experience motivated me to explore the experiences of new graduate nurses in rural areas. As a lecturer at UNE, I developed content and educated third-year undergraduate students on caring for the deteriorating patient, aiming for simulated scenarios to develop students’ critical thinking and clinical reasoning. This focus in teaching led me to ensure our graduate nurses are well-equipped to provide this care, but I was unsure of how they do experience the deteriorating patient in the rural environment. I found no studies in the literature, which led me to my area of research.”
This makes Elaine’s findings – being published later this year – extremely valuable for the future of regional and rural healthcare as the rural healthcare crisis continues.
Those of us in rural areas may not die hard yet.
