Aust. J. Rural Health (2002) 10, 308–309

Blackwell Science, Ltd

REVISITING THE PAST: THE ASSOCIATION FOR AUSTRALIAN RURAL NURSES COMES OF AGE

It is timely for the Association for Australian RuralNurses to review its achievements since the inaugurationof the association in 1992. Undoubtedly the 1990s will beremembered as the period during which rural health andrural issues first gained a significant and much neededprofile generated within political discourse. The launch ofthe Australian Journal of Rural Health in 1992 providedboth an impetus and an outlet for debate on rural healthissues and helped to focus national attention on the plightof rural communities.1 The new Journal’s first issuehighlighted that ‘rural areas have been shown to be aneglected concern and comparatively disadvantaged withrespect to the provision of health services.’2 Moreover, itscontents highlighted the significance of the thorny ques-tion of ‘when does urban become rural?’ and the need forfurther research to ‘determine the extent to which thereexists a rural-urban differential in health status.’3

Attention by politicians, the media and the healthindustry on rural health issues provided the impetus for agroup of rural nurse academics to lobby for the formationof a professional, national association that would repres-ent the interests of, and develop a cohesive voice for,rural nurses. Led by Desley Hegney, this group of ruralnursing academics were passionate about the need forrural nursing to have a voice in the national health andpolitical arenas and argued strongly that such an associ-ation would provide a vehicle to address rural nursingissues.3,4 Politicians at the state/territory and federallevels were lobbied for funding to support rural nurses.

In 1992, AARN formed with a commitment to:• ‘Support rural nurses in the delivery of quality care

and services to rural people; and• Represent rural nurses in all settings and at all levels

of government.’5

Soon after its formation, the Australian Journal ofRural Health was conceived as the conduit through which

rural nurses and colleagues from other rural health dis-ciplines would communicate with peers to raise issuesimpacting on rural nursing and rural health. The journalwas launched as the official journal of the newly formedAssociation for Australian Rural Nurses in November1992.6 Desley Hegney was appointed Editor of the journaland the foundation President of the national Associationfor Australian Rural Nurses.

Today, AARN remains the national rural nursing bodywhich under its Constitution elects members from itsconstituents to hold executive positions on its Committee.As AARN has grown and become recognised as the voiceof rural nurses, State branches have been established. Sincemany State/Territory issues are often jurisdiction specific,these branches have been formed to better address theseissues. Queensland formed the first State branch, followedin May 2002 by the Victoria branch. New South Wales iscurrently forming a working party to establish a NSW Branch.

Since its inception, AARN has undertaken severalmajor national projects to profile rural nursing. Fundedby the Rural Health Support Education and Trainingprogram, a series of 8 monographs was commissionedfrom the Association in 1998. This three-year project,entitled ‘A National Investigation and Support Projectfor Australian Rural Nurses’, surveyed the education,training and support needs of rural nurses, and highlightedthe need for increased collaborative networks for ruralnurses across Australia. Development of a demographicprofile of the rural nursing workforce was also a keycomponent of this and a related project which investigatedthe role and function of rural nurses in Australia.

The outcomes from these projects have since informeda number of rural nursing policy initiatives and directionsby State and Commonwealth Governments, and providedmuch needed data about the rural nursing workforce.

The Association for Australian Rural Nurses wasdirectly involved in the early development of the NationalRural Health Alliance, which today is the peak multi-disciplinary non-government body whose core aim is toimprove health in rural, regional and remote Australia.6

As one of three National nursing member bodies of theAlliance, AARN has for many years contributed signi-ficantly to the strategic directions and processes of the

Correspondence: Professor Karen Francis, Association forAustralian Rural Nurses, Head School Clinical Sciences,Charles Sturt University, Locked Bag 588, Wagga Wagga, NewSouth Wales 2678. Email: KFrancis@csu.edu.au

Accepted for publication July 2002.

HEALTH AND HEALTH CARE IN RURAL AUSTRALIA 309

Alliance and ensured that rural nurses have a strong voicewithin it. Currently, AARN is working with the other twonursing bodies on the Alliance (the Australian NursingFederation and the Council of Remote Area Nurses ofAustralia) on a project that aims to progress a range ofimportant issues for rural nurses at the National andState/Territory and local levels. Issues such as:• access to appropriate education and training;• lack of clear career pathways for rural nurses;• advanced practice roles in rural areas; and• preparation for practice at all levels across the

breadth of rural nursing contexts are some of theissues that have long been a concern to rural nursesthat will be addressed within this project. Thischallenging task is inclusive of a broad range of otherkey stakeholders and reflects the importance of ruralnursing within the broader national nursing landscape.Currently, AARN and CRANA are particularly con-

cerned about the impact the global shortage of nurses ishaving on rural and remote Australia. Both organisationalmembership and contemporary research highlights thatrural nurses are an ageing workforce and that nurses arealso not being adequately prepared to work in these envir-onments.7,8 As a consequence, the two organisations arediscussing strategies which will allow for the developmentand implementation of appropriate professional develop-ment, education and training programs. In addition thetwo organisations are collaborating to lobby government,the health sector, other organisations and industry onbehalf of rural and remote nurses and rural communities.

In 2002, AARN received funding from the Common-wealth Department of Health and Ageing to establish anational secretariat. The funding is to be used to employan Executive Director, to facilitate research and otherprojects to assist with the establishment of state branchesand to promote collaboration with other professionalorganisations for the benefit of rural nurses. In additionthe national secretariat will continue to lobby governmentat all levels on behalf of the association.

Over the past decade, all levels of government and theprofession have acknowledged the success of AARNas the peak nursing association for rural nurses. TheAssociation for Australian Rural Nurses continue to bethe voice of rural nursing and will strive to promote ruralnursing expertise and to seek due recognition for ruralnurses from the profession, other health professions, thecommunity and government.

Karen FrancisPresident

Association for Australian Rural NursesDavid Lindsay

Immediate Past PresidentAssociation for Australian Rural Nurses

REFERENCES

1 Humphreys J, Rolley F. Health and Health Care in RuralAustralia. Armidale: University of New England 1991.

2 Humphreys J, Rolley F, Weinand HC. How healthy is thebush? Problems associated with the assessment of healthstatus in rural Australia. The Australian Journal of RuralHealth 1992; 1: 17–27.

3 Hegney D. Presidents Report, the Association for AustralianRural Nurses Inc Newsletter 1992; 8, 1–5.

4 Hegney D, Hobbs L. Policy, Politics and Legal Issues,Vol. 2 AARN, Monograph Series. Deakin West; RCNA 1998.

5 AARN. AARN Information Package. Canberra: AARN 2002.6 Humphreys J, Hegney D, Lipscombe J, Gregory G,

Chater B. Whither rural health? Reviewing a decade ofprogress in rural health. Australian Journal of Rural Health2002; 10: 2–14.

7 Francis K, Bowman S, Redgrave M. Knowledge and skillsrequired by rural nurses to meet the challenges of achanging work environment in the 21st Century: A reviewof the literature. In: National Review of Nursing Education.DETYA Commissioned Review National Review of NursingEducation 2001.

8 Handley A, Blue I. Australian Rural Nurses, and Nursing: aProfile, Vol. 8 Monograph Series. Deakin West: AARNRCNA 1998.