Case study: disease prevention--new roles for nurses in rural Australia.

Nurses are taking a leading role in preventing disease on the North Coast of New South Wales. In addition to heart health programs, nurses are also involved in Early Childhood Clinics, immunization campaigns, pap smear and breast self-exam campaigns, nutrition education and walking-for-pleasure groups. It would be safe to say that without nurses making new roles for themselves, there would be very few disease prevention campaigns on the North Coast.