Required education
ADN or BSN
Average annual salary
Attributes
Independent
Work on your own or even start your own practice, in some states.
Managerial
Lead, guide and support other nurses so they can provide the best care.
Out-of-hospital
Treat patients in their homes, during travel, or other non-hospital environments.
Patient-facing
Work hands-on, directly with patients.
Varied
Take on different tasks, patients, and situations every day.
You’ll be skilled in all areas of nursing, with the ability to serve as the primary caregiver of a whole community.
What you’ll do
Assessment
You’ll evaluate and diagnose patients with a wide variety of ailments.
Education
You’ll teach people about health and wellness.
Interaction
You’ll likely develop close relationships with the people of the communities you work in.
Management
You’ll be in charge of managing supplies and resources within a community.
Treatment
You’ll treat a wide variety or illnesses and injuries and may be adept at critical care, trauma, labor, and delivery.
Where you’ll work
- Community clinics
- Doctors’ offices
- Hospitals
- Mobile health center
How to become a Rural Nurse
01
Get an Associate’s Degree in Nursing (ADN) or Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN).
02
Pass the NCLEX-RN and work as a Registered Nurse.
03
Get your Rural Nurse Board Certification through the American Nurses Credentialing Center
04
You’re ready to work as a Rural Nurse.
Join an Organization
Become a member of a Rural Nurse organization to find career opportunities, learn from your colleagues, and support the profession.
Related Organizations
A Camp Nurse’s role is also managerial.
An Occupational Health Nurse is another type of community nurse.
