A Qualitative Study Exploring Nursing Scope of Practice for the Care of People Experiencing Homelessness.
Olivia Hollingdrake, Jo River, Alejandro Vasquez-Hernandez and 2 others
PMID 40574413WHAT IT FOUND
People experiencing homelessness and nurses said care should be non-judgemental, flexible and culturally safe, with nurses able to assess physical and mental health, manage wounds and medications, and navigate services.
These are perceptions, not tested effects.
Key findings
01People with lived experience identified four components of nursing scope: nurse attributes, nursing knowledge and skills, nursing care processes, and system factors.
02Participants valued nurses who were non-judgemental and approachable, and said feeling heard and validated helped break through stigma and shame.
03They wanted nurses to assess physical and mental health, manage medications, and provide trauma-informed care.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study reports perceptions rather than patient outcomes, so it cannot show that any practice improves access or health. Participants were people already linked to specialised homelessness services in urban areas, so it may not apply to people not accessing services or to rural and remote settings. Demographic data were not collected, and some participants could not be contacted to review their transcripts. Only nurses from some partner organisations took part, so organisational variation may be limited.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the themes as proof that expanded nursing scope improves access or health outcomes. This study reports perceptions of people with lived experience and nurses, not tested interventions or measured patient results.