“[This book] continues to be the first line resource toward understanding rural health nursing and the interface with cultural, health, health beliefs, and health care in rural populations…Highlights the realities of rural nursing from bedside to advanced practice… This book and the chapters within are some of the most often cited in the rural nursing literature.”

Pamela Stewart Fahs, RN, PhD

Associate Dean

Professor & Dr. G. Clifford and Florence B. Decker Chair in Rural Nursing

Decker School of Nursing; Binghamton University

Editor In Chief Online Journal of Rural Nursing and Health Care

The newly revised fifth edition of this authoritative classic continues to be the only text to focus specifically on rural nursing concepts, theory, research, practice, education, public health, and health care delivery from a national and international perspective. Updated with 22 new chapters, these additions expand upon the rural nursing theory base and research. Content delves into the life of rural nurses, addressing their unique day-to-day challenges of living without anonymity, often acting as the sole health care provider, and establishing self-reliance as a nurse generalist. New chapters provide information on unique populations, such as veterans and Native Americans, as well as specific types of care, such as palliative nursing, bereavement support, substance abuse treatment, and much more. Free, searchable, digital access to the entire contents of the book and PowerPoint slides accompany the text.

New to the Fifth Edition:

• How to develop a research program in a rural area


• Strategies to advance research


• The lived experienced of rural nurses


• Chronic illness self-management


• APRNs in rural nursing


• A rural knowledge scale to use with students


• Advancing rural health care through technology


• Interprofessional education

Key Features:

• Addresses critical issues in nursing practice, education, and research in sparsely populated areas


• Written by esteemed contributors in the U.S. and Canada


• Expands understanding of rural person and place characteristics


• Identifies challenges and highlights opportunities for innovative practice


• Serves as a single-source reference for rural nurses, students, faculty, and researchers


• Print version includes free, searchable, digital access to the entire contents of the book!