Nurse practitioners in primary care. II. Prior attitudes of a rural population.

A household survey in a medically underserviced rural population of south-central Ontario was conducted in early 1971 to ascertain attitudes about nurses as providers of primary care. The population sampled had not been exposed to nurse practitioners or family practice nurses before the survey was concluded. The results demonstrate favourable views about nurses giving services in health maintenance and sickness surveillance situations. Personal primary care rendered in homes was highly acceptable to respondents. Physician services were preferred in worry-inducing situations.