The need for strong rural nursing leadership is crucial given the scrutiny that the nursing profession has faced in Victoria with recent industrial action. Not only is nursing a profession that operates in an environment that traditionally lacks power, but the ongoing state of crisis in hospital funding that seems to transcend whichever government is in power, has arguably intensified Australian communities’ perception of powerlessness. It is noteworthy that the data from this study do not reflect the difficulty that nursing has historically had in achieving recognition as a profession