The challenges to public health nurse practice in rural Ireland.

Abstract

The primary objective was to understand the contemporary public health nurse's (PHN) role and the issues that they face working in rural Ireland. This study was based on an ethnographic approach with 13 PHNs working in rural areas in the South West of Ireland. A combination of solicited diaries and semi-structured interviews referred to as the diary/interview method were employed. Diaries were used by the PHNs to record their working day on a staggered basis from February to April 2017 with the subsequent interviews carried out in June and July 2017. Working as a PHN in a rural area presented a number of issues such as time spent on traveling as a result of geographical disparity & poor road networks; client transport issues; a sense of working in isolation; communication issues with respect to computer/tablet hardware availability, mobile phone and broadband connectivity and the availability of, and the physical access to services. PHNs operating in rural communities face a distinct set of challenges that they have a limited ability to address. Legislators, health care providers and policymakers need to create a supportive environment that helps address these challenges in Ireland.