Support nurses and midwives to strengthen healthcare systems

A/Prof Bronwyn Fields

qualifications: PhD

contribution: Drafting of manuscript, Critical revision

position: Assistant Professor

United States

Bronwyn Fields is an Assistant Professor in the School of Nursing at California State University Sacramento in Sacramento, California, USA. Dr. Fields' research interests include the health workforce, nurse recruitment and retention in rural areas, health disparities and international health and development. As a nurse and midwife, she has worked extensively in Australia, South East Asia and the Pacific, including consulting for the World Health Organization, Asian Development Bank, AusAID and other international organizations on health workforce development. More recently, Bronwyn has lived and worked in rural Northern California. She joined the Rural and Remote Health North America section as a Regional Editor in 2016.

Ms Bongi Sibanda

qualifications: DNPc, MSc, ANP, RN, FHEA

contribution: Drafting of manuscript, Critical revision

position: Chief Nursing Officer/Advanced Practice Educator

Bongi is an Advanced Practice Nurse leader with expertise in Emergency/Primary Care and international healthcare workforce education. An innovative practice-focused scholar recognised internationally for work in advanced practice and Interprofessional Education/Collaborative Practice (IPECP). Additionally, her experience includes regulation, policy and higher education practice. Bongi’s Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) work focuses on Educational Leadership in Advanced Practice and Health Policy.

Ian Couper

qualifications: MFamMed, FCFP(SA)

contribution: Drafting of manuscript, Critical revision

position: Professor and Director

South Africa

Professor Ian Couper is Director of the Ukwanda Centre for Rural Health and Professor of Rural Health at Stellenbosch University, South Africa. A trained family physician, he spent nine years practising in a remote rural hospital in northern KwaZuluNatal province, and then 16 years working in primary care and health service development in rural North West province. He held the first chair of rural health at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits). He has chaired both the Rural Doctors Association of Southern Africa (RuDASA) and the Wonca Working Party on Rural Practice (WONCA Rural).