Factors influencing student nurses in their choice of a rural clinical placement site

Rural health and government bodies have identified the need for greater numbers of health professionals in rural and remote health care settings. Providing students with the opportunity to experience a rural clinical placement has been suggested as one strategy for future health professionals to gain familiarity with the rural workplace and an awareness of the employment opportunities available in these areas. Although substantial numbers of student nurses have participated in a rural undergraduate clinical placement program at Queensland University of Technology, Australia, since 1996, available places remain unfilled. This study aimed to investigate the factors influencing student nurses in their choice of a rural or metropolitan clinical placement.

This study utilised a descriptive survey design. In the 24-item questionnaire, questions related to demographics, previous experience of a rural lifestyle, previous work experience and issues of importance regarding the clinical placement experience. All final-year Bachelor of Nursing students in the year 2000 (n = 212) were included in the sample, with a 65% response rate for the pre-test (n = 137). Frequency distributions, chi2 analysis (for nominal data) and ANOVA (for interval data) were used to describe differences between the characteristics of students choosing a rural or remote placement and students choosing a metropolitan placement.

Findings demonstrated that possession of a rural background, previous work experience in a rural community and family, financial and/or employment commitments all influenced students' choice of undertaking a rural clinical placement.

Students who have previously lived and/or worked in a rural area are more likely to choose a rural setting for clinical placements or postgraduate employment. However, the value of rural clinical placements as a method of increasing awareness of employment opportunities in the rural setting is considerable. Family, financial and employment commitments should be considered in the development of recruitment and retention strategies for health professionals to rural areas.