Table 2 Taxonomy of nurse retention interventions in rural and remote areas
From: Interventions for supporting nurse retention in rural and remote areas: an umbrella review
Category of intervention | Effective interventions for nurse retention | Strength of evidence* |
|---|---|---|
A. Education and continuous professional development interventions | -Recruitment from, and training in, rural areas | Moderate [26]# |
-Targeted admission of students from rural background | Moderate [28]# | |
-Early and increased exposure to rural practice during undergraduate studies | ||
-Support for continuous professional development | ||
B. Regulatory interventions | -Increased opportunities for recruitment to civil service | Low [25]# |
-Recognizing overseas qualifications | ||
-Producing different types of health workers | ||
C. Financial incentives | -Direct and indirect financial incentives (direct payments, service-requiring scholarships, educational loans with service requirements, loan repayment programs) | Moderate [24]# |
Low [25] | ||
D. Personal and professional support | -General improvement in rural infrastructure (housing, roads, phones, water supplies, radio communication, etc.) | Strong [25] |
-Supportive supervision (mentorship, preceptorship, clinical supervision) | Moderate [26]# | |
-Measures to reduce health workers’ feeling of isolation (professional/specialist networks, telemedicine and telehealth) | Moderate [27]# |