Discussing Hope with Rural Public Health Nurses and Community Members

Abstract

The aim of this exploratory, descriptive study was to understand the meaning of hope for rural communities, in particular how community members and public health nurses understand this concept, and how they work together to create hope within rural communities. Qualitative interviews were conducted with nine community members and five public health nurses using an open-ended interview guide. The participants saw hope as a positive element of life that could be recognizable at the community level. The community members spoke about how they, as individuals, could help create and instill hope within their communities. Public health nurses were seen as resources for such communities and could add to the sense of hope being experienced there. However, the two groups did not work together to create hope. Recommendations include providing more opportunities for community members and public health nurses to work together on community issues.