Factors that shape educational mobility for nurses working in rural areas: A scoping review

A global shortage of nurses in rural areas is contributing to poorer health outcomes. Educational mobility, or progression from one level of formal nursing qualification to the next, is a valuable approach for recruiting and retaining a skilled nursing workforce. The aim of this scoping review was to map the literature in relation to the factors that shape educational mobility for rural nurses.

A scoping review was conducted in accordance with Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology and is reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines.

Medline, CINAHL, Emcare, Scopus and ERIC were searched using a defined search strategy. Google Scholar and targeted web searching were used to locate grey literature. English- language, peer-reviewed publications and grey literature published between 2003 and 2025 from Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries that authorise nurses with different levels of formal qualifications to practise were included.

Two categories were identified: 1) intrinsic factors, and 2) contextual factors. Intrinsic factors included two sub-categories: 1) Professional aspirations and citizenship, and 2) self-perception of academic capability. Contextual factors included five sub-categories: 1) role availability, visibility and clarity; 2) financial considerations; 3) competing commitments; 4) availability of local opportunities, and 5) connection and support. Of the 30 included papers, the majority were from the United States (US) (n = 20) and focused on nurses completing undergraduate study. Gender invisibility was identified as a key gap in the literature.

Further research is needed to understand the range of contemporary contextual factors that shape educational mobility for rural nurses. Inclusion of nurses undertaking undergraduate and postgraduate study is imperative. Future research must make gender visible to inform sociocultural support for rural nurses who wish to pursue further education.