Rural Health Care Essay

In rural and remote areas of Australia, members of the multidisciplinary team have an exponential willingness to expand and adapt their practice to the rural and remote communities needs. Nurses in particular have had to deal with a wide and varying range of health problems in medically unserviced areas of rural Australia. Ideally, primary health care is the centre of the health system. Secondary and tertiary services back-up systems are developed and implemented to support primary levels of healthcare. In rural and remote area health services current indications are that of the opposite to those working and living in urban/metropolitan areas of Australia. (_________________________). Inappropriate staff and skill levels, sub-standard facilities, inadequate supplies, high turnovers of staff and difficulties with communications and transport are characteristics of rural and remote area health services (Kerr1991; Kreger, 1991; The Hospitals and Health Services Association of New South Wales, 1988). The Commonwealth Government Social Justice Strategy Statement (1990-91:4) states that “a vital requirement for all people is access to quality health services”. Recognition of this statement shows access to health services is not a reality of the entire population, for example, Aboriginal and rural remote residents (Rural Health strategy, 1991; B. Howe cited in Collins, 1991; National Aboriginal Health Strategy, 1988).

A vast majority of residents in rural/remote areas live with social disruption and poverty that even the most basic human requirements may be scarce. Basic necessities such as safe drinking water, adequate food, housing and personal safety cannot be guaranteed (Atkinson, 1990; National Aboriginal Health Strategy Working P...

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Consumption (for males);

• 1.15 times more likely to be overweight and obese; and

• 1.30 times more likely to report high blood pressure.

(Coleen Koh, February 2011, National Rural Health Alliance, Health promotion in Rural Australia, Fact sheet 5 (Page 2))

The information gained over years of data analysis is indicative of a need for change. Nurses alone cannot be expected to change a variety of socially acceptable norms and change the lifestyles of communities in rural areas. The task must be undertaken by numerous health organisations and the entirety of the multidisciplinary team in both urban and rural centres. Proper government funding, the willingness to change and the ability to change a nations socially acceptable ways of life is no easy task and not one to be taken on lightly.

The full potential of nurses in remote and rural areas is unutilised.