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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Nurse practitioners and other advanced practice registered nurses

How Could Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants Be Deployed to Provide Rural Primary Care?
Examines various methods that can be implemented to help nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs) meet the increased need for primary care services in rural areas. Provides rural and urban data on the number of new insurance enrollees and estimated primary care visits that resulted from the implementation of the Affordable Care Act.
Author(s): Eric H. Larson, C. Holly A. Andrilla, Cynthia Coulthard, Joanne Spetz
Date: 03/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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AzCRH 2015 Supply and Demand Study of Arizona Health Practitioners and Professionals
Provides an update on Arizona's healthcare workforce data derived from licensing boards, state and federal agencies, surveys, and interviews. Compares rural and urban workforce data and identifies strategies to moderate the workforce demand for rural health services.
Author(s): Joe Tabor, Nick Jennings, Lindsay Kohler, et al.
Date: 02/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Arizona Center for Rural Health
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VA Health Care: Oversight Improvements Needed for Nurse Recruitment and Retention Initiatives
Reviews Veterans Health Administration (VHA) initiatives to recruit and retain nurses and the extent to which VHA oversees these initiatives. Discusses nurse recruitment and retention concerns specific to rural areas.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 09/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Assessing Rural-Urban Nurse Practitioner Supply and Distribution in 12 States Using Available Data Sources
A policy brief comparing the distribution of nurse practitioners (NPs) in rural and urban areas through the analysis of license records and the National Provider Identifier (NPI) data from 12 states.
Author(s): Susan M. Skillman,Gina Keppel, Mark P. Doescher, et al.
Date: 08/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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RHAC Brief: Nurse Practitioners in Rural Minnesota - Results of an Employer Survey
Summarizes the results of a survey conducted by the Minnesota Rural Health Advisory Committee (RHAC) of the state's Rural Health Clinics and Critical Access Hospitals to learn more about the rural nurse practitioner (NP) workforce. Describes NP use by department and discusses recruitment and retention challenges.
Date: 08/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Minnesota Department of Health - Office of Rural Health and Primary Care
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Education at a Distance: Virtual Classrooms Bring Healthcare Classes to Rural Areas
Highlights three university health professions programs that are using distance education to allow professionals to stay in their rural communities while earning a degree.
Author(s): Kate Menzies
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 02/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Tapping Nurse Practitioners to Meet Rising Demand for Primary Care
Discusses the use of advanced practice nurses, specifically nurse practitioners, to increase access to primary care for those residing in Health Professional Shortage Areas. Reports that nurse practitioners working in primary care are more likely than primary care physicians to work in rural areas. Suggests that the use of nurse practitioners and physician assistants could help reduce the primary care provider shortage in 2020 by two-thirds.
Author(s): Amanda Van Vleet, Julia Paradise
Date: 01/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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The Obstetric Care Workforce in Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and Rural Non-CAHs
Examines current obstetric practice models in Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and other rural hospitals to understand obstetric care services and obstetric workforce issues. Reports on the types of clinicians providing obstetric care in rural hospitals, including obstetricians, family physicians, certified nurse midwives, and general surgeons.
Author(s): Katy Kozhimannil, Michelle Casey, Peiyin Hung, Shailendra Prasad, Ira Moscovice
Date: 11/2014
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Models to Estimate the Economic Impact of a Rural Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant
Discusses the advantages of using nurse practitioners and physician assistants for the provision of primary care services to meet the workforce challenges in rural settings and how they contribute economically to the community.
Additional links: Summary
Author(s): Fred C. Eilrich, Gerald A. Doeksen, Cheryl F. St. Clair
Date: 08/2014
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Rural Health Works
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Support for Rural Recruitment and Practice among U.S. Nurse Practitioner Education Programs
Examines nurse practitioner (NP) education programs across the U.S. to identify those actively promoting NP practice in rural areas. Describes their use of education methods that may promote rural practice and identifies barriers to recruiting rural students and providing rural NP clinical training.
Author(s): Susan M. Skillman, Louise Kaplan, C. Holly A. Andrilla, Stefanie Ostergard, Davis G. Patterson
Date: 05/2014
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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