Rural Health Curriculum in Bachelor of Science in Nursing Programs: A Narrative Review

IF 3.2 3区医学 Q2 HEALTH CARE SCIENCES & SERVICES

Journal of Rural Health Pub Date : 2026-08-05 DOI:10.1111/jrh.70200

Kyanna Harris, Hilary N. Touchett, Alexandra Caloudas, Kelley Arredondo

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Purpose

Rural communities face persistent health disparities and ongoing healthcare workforce shortages, especially in nursing. Despite national attention on strengthening the rural nursing pipeline, little synthesis exists on how rural health is integrated into nursing curricula. This narrative review provides an overview of the current landscape of rural health content within Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) programs in the United States.

Methods

A comprehensive search of peer-reviewed and institutional sources was conducted using CINAHL, PubMed, ERIC, Scopus, and the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) database. U.S.-based BSN programs with explicit rural health training or learning components were included. Data were extracted and synthesized using a narrative approach to identify recurring themes and institutional variations.

Findings

Sixty-three nursing programs met our inclusion criteria; however, many had various courses or initiatives for a total of 93 courses/initiatives. The majority of courses/initiatives were community-focused (n = 59), followed by underserved communities (n = 37). Few BSN programs had explicit rural health content (n = 20) that incorporated rural-specific courses or structured clinical experiences addressing rural practice.

Conclusions

Rural health remains underrepresented in BSN curricula. Findings underscore the need for systematic integration of rural concepts through coursework, simulation, and partnerships with rural healthcare facilities to strengthen the rural nursing workforce.

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护理学理学士课程中的农村卫生课程：述评。

目的：农村社区面临持续的健康差距和持续的卫生保健人力短缺，特别是在护理方面。尽管国家重视加强农村护理管道，但关于如何将农村卫生纳入护理课程的综合研究很少。这篇叙述性的综述概述了美国护理学学士（BSN）项目中农村健康内容的现状。方法：使用CINAHL、PubMed、ERIC、Scopus和美国大学护理教育委员会（CCNE）数据库对同行评审和机构来源进行全面检索。美国的BSN项目包含明确的农村卫生培训或学习内容。数据提取和综合使用叙述的方法，以确定反复出现的主题和制度的变化。结果：63个护理项目符合我们的纳入标准；然而，许多人有不同的课程或计划，总共有93门课程/计划。大多数课程/计划以社区为中心（n = 59），其次是服务不足的社区（n = 37）。很少有BSN项目有明确的农村健康内容（n = 20），这些内容包括农村特定课程或针对农村实践的结构化临床经验。结论：农村保健在BSN课程中仍未充分体现。研究结果强调，需要通过课程、模拟和与农村卫生保健机构合作，系统地整合农村概念，以加强农村护理队伍。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Journal of Rural Health 医学-公共卫生、环境卫生与职业卫生

CiteScore

7.60

自引率

6.10%

发文量

审稿时长

>12 weeks

期刊介绍： The Journal of Rural Health, a quarterly journal published by the NRHA, offers a variety of original research relevant and important to rural health. Some examples include evaluations, case studies, and analyses related to health status and behavior, as well as to health work force, policy and access issues. Quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods studies are welcome. Highest priority is given to manuscripts that reflect scholarly quality, demonstrate methodological rigor, and emphasize practical implications. The journal also publishes articles with an international rural health perspective, commentaries, book reviews and letters.