Nursing Students Learn About Rural Healthcare

The Office of the Provost, which oversees education, research, and public service in the university, awarded the $5,000 grant for the course. It will be offered to students in the fall 2009 and spring 2010 semesters, and one other semester that has yet to be determined. Boyer and Campbell will instruct the course.

While it may be a tough reality for students at first, Boyer anticipates exposing them to rural life will aid in their professional development in the healthcare field.

"I think what's going to be hard for them, painful for them, and also incredibly important for them is to see people who are dealing with difficult healthcare issues in an area where there is great poverty," says Boyer. "What I'm hoping is that they become more compassionate for people who have chronic illnesses and understand the struggle that these people face in order to try to acquire treatment and manage the recommended treatment."

"I also hope that they will learn that patients have great wisdom in terms of trying to identify solutions," she adds.