Factors associated with having received a financial incentive to take up a rural nursing position in Canada

In Canada, financial incentives are used to entice nurses to rural practice. While financial incentives are used throughout Canada, the characteristics of nurses who have received a financial incentive are seldom examined. The purpose of the study is to examine what factors are associated with having received a financial incentive to practice in rural and remote Canada. A pan-Canadian survey was distributed to nurses working in rural and remote Canada. The survey received a 40% response rate (n=3,822). Of the 3,822 eligible nurses who responded 12.6%(n=466) of nurses identified as having received a financial incentive to take up their rural nursing position. Chi-square and multiple logistic regression analyses found characteristics and other factors associated with having received a financial incentive to take up a rural nursing position. The study concludes that financial incentives continue to have implications for recruitment of nurses to practice in rural Canada.