섬이 된 간호사들 : 농촌 간호사의 직무고립에 관한 주제범위 문헌고찰

초록

Purpose: This scoping review examined the concept, types, consequences, and mitigation strategies for job isolation among rural nurses and identified implications for the Korean rural healthcare context. Methods: We conducted a scoping review based on the framework proposed by Arksey and O’Malley. A search of domestic and international databases identified 14 studies published between 1990 and 2025. Results: Job isolation among rural nurses was identified as a multidimensional construct encompassing geographic, social, and organizational and structural isolation. These dimensions interact and produce consequences on multiple levels. At the individual level, rural nurses experience psychological burden, burnout, and limited professional development. At the organizational level, job isolation contributes to workforce instability, recruitment, and retention difficulties, and reduced operational efficiency. At the healthcare system level, it is associated with reduced service sustainability, threats to patient safety, and the widening of health inequities in rural communities. Mitigation strategies were reported at the individual (mentorship and continuing education), organizational (structured orientation and clinical supervision), and policy/system levels (ICT infrastructure, telehealth, and rural workforce planning). Conclusion: Job isolation in rural nursing is a systemic and structural issue that requires integrated multilevel interventions to ensure workforce stability and sustainable rural healthcare delivery.

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