The Canadian journal of nursing research = Revue canadienne de recherche en sciences infirmières
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This article reports on a mixed methods study to define the role of nurse practitioners (NPs) in rural Nova Scotia, Canada, by collecting the perceptions of rural health board chairpersons and health-care providers. Qualitative data were collected in telephone interviews with health board chairpersons. ⋯ The authors describe participants' perspectives on the health needs of rural communities, the gaps in the current model of primary health care services, the envisaged role of NPs in rural communities, and the facilitators of and barriers to NP role implementation. Optimizing the benefits of the NP role for residents of rural communities requires attention to the barriers that impede deployment and integration of the role.
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Cannabis use is common among persons with schizophrenia, particularly among men with this long-term chronic illness. A phenomenological study was undertaken to describe the perceptions of persons with schizophrenia regarding their attraction to cannabis. A sample of 8 men with schizophrenia who were living in the community and who had a history of current or past cannabis use were recruited by health professionals. ⋯ Colaizzi's phenomenological method was used to analyze the interview data. The findings indicate that cannabis is used as a means of satisfying the schizophrenia-related need for relaxation, sense of self-worth, and distraction. The findings may be useful for nurses working with persons who have schizophrenia, a population that is frequently stigmatized and unheard.
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There is a prevailing argument that what small towns lack in formal services they make up for in close ties among rural people and a shared understanding of the notion of community. Drawing on research undertaken in 9 small towns across Canada, the authors examine how the concept of community operates with respect to the provision ofin-home and community care for seniors. ⋯ The findings reveal the paradox of the conventional belief that rural communities can compensate for lack of services for seniors while failing to take into account the uncertain coping ability of the local informal sectors. The authors challenge rural health policy decision-makers, researchers, and providers to debunk assumptions about services for seniors in rural Canada.