Stoic survival: the journey of parenting a premature infant in the bush.

Introduction: The birth of a premature infant is a stressful and emotionally challenging time for parents. Families living in rural areas often have reduced access to the specialist services premature infants require, and different concerns from their metropolitan counterparts. Rural families may have to spend extended periods of time at a metropolitan centre while their child is in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

Profile of the rural allied health workforce in northern New South Wales and comparison with previous studies.

Objective: To survey allied health professionals in one region of New South Wales.

Design: A questionnaire designed to give a profile of the allied health workforce was mailed to 451 practitioners from 12 health professions between July and September 2005.

Setting: The region included the upper Hunter Valley, Liverpool Plains, New England Tablelands and North-west Slopes and Plains of New South Wales.