Page 490 - Encyclopedia of Nursing Research

RURAl HEAlTH n 457

University of Virginia, using community The launching of the nursing doctoral
participation to increase diabetes self-care program at Binghamton University will
in rural areas; Weinert and colleagues, at the increase the number of individuals pre- R
Montana State University–Bozeman, using pared to conduct necessary rural research.
computer-based technology to provide Although the masters’ degree and Doctor of
support and health information to isolated Nursing Science programs at the University
rural women living with a chronic health of Virginia will increase nursing leaders in
condition. Cross-state studies are being community/public health leadership, health
designed to tease out which characteristics systems management, or psychiatric mental
are somewhat universal across rural popu- health with expertise in rural health care.
lations and which may be specific to a cer- The program uses a distance learning plat-
tain rural population. One example is the form in which technology allows students to
work of Shreffler-Grant at Montana State interact live weekly from remote locations in
University–Bozeman, and her colleagues a virtual classroom. The program is a good
at the University of North Dakota, who are example of how the explosion of activity in
exploring the use of complementary ther- the arena of telecommunications has been
apy by rural older adults. Another is Fahs’ a boon to rural nursing education, bringing
group, from Binghamton University, who whole degree programs and current practice
examined how to promote heart health in and research knowledge to the fingertips of
rural women across state lines. nurses in the remotest of areas.
The Center for Research on Chronic Clearly, there is progress in the develop-
Health Conditions in Rural Dwellers at ment of the body of knowledge about rural
Montana State University-Bozeman, funded health and rural health nursing, as well as in
through the NINR Exploratory Centers the ways in which rural nurses can continue
Program, provides an opportunity to their education and keep competencies and
strengthen rural research and is forging knowledge up-to-date. However, the pro-
research linkages between Montana nurse gress will stop without sustained efforts to
scientists and rural nurse investigators in increase rural nursing research and availabil-
Oregon, Iowa, Wyoming, North Dakota, and ity of technology in rural areas. The advances
Nebraska. likewise, the NINR-funded mul- in nursing science and education, along with
tidisciplinary Rural Health Care Research better understanding of historical factors,
Center at the University of Virginia brings changing demographics, health disparities,
key stakeholders in rural health together to strengths, and resources of rural communi-
set the rural research agenda for Virginia ties/individuals, can enhance health for peo-
at its surrounding states with pilot studies ple in rural settings.
including telehealth, community participa-
tory research, and palliative care. Marianne Baernholdt