The practice of rural nursing and midwifery

This chapter focuses on rural nursing and midwifery practice. For the purposes of discussion, the context of rural practice will include remote area nursing practice encompassing a wide range of health services and settings, including small inpatient and multipurpose facilities, aged care, general practice and community health, outreach services, sole practitioner sites and locally controlled Aboriginal community health services (Francis & Mills, 2011). Nurses and midwives employed in rural and remote health services face numerous challenges that will be discussed.