Exploring general practice nurses' experiences of an intervention to support social connectedness among older adults: A qualitative descriptive study

AIM: This paper explores the experience of general practice nurses implementing a nurse-led social prescribing intervention to improve older people's social connectedness. 

DESIGN: Qualitative descriptive study within a multi-phase mixed methods project. 

METHODS: Eight Australian general practice nurses working in a health connector role participated in semi-structured interviews at implementation-end (n = 8) and 12 months later (n = 5), and two focus groups, held during implementation. Interviews addressed participants' reasons for engaging in the intervention, perceptions of training, the experience of intervention delivery and sustainability. Focus groups explored participants' views of challenges and achievements. Data were analysed inductively using thematic analysis. 

RESULTS: Participants reported 'alignment between their current nursing role and the additional health connector role' regarding their scope of practice and philosophy of care. 'Preparedness to be a health connector' explained how participants' primary care nursing skills equipped them to intervene, however, additional training and resources were essential. Older people were positively impacted by the intervention, and this motivated participants to sustain elements of the intervention. With support, participants leveraged existing skills and worked to their full scope of practice. This resulted in practice improvements in caring for older people at risk of loneliness and social isolation, and professional gains for nurses. 

CONCLUSION: Despite challenges in sustaining the intervention as designed, participants integrated the health connector intervention into their practice within the context of their nursing role and continued this work with older people and other patient groups. 

IMPLICATIONS: Facilitating general practice nurses to undertake a social prescribing intervention had benefits for nurses and patients.

IMPACT: Nurse-led social prescribing interventions can support older people to reactivate or maintain their social connections within the context of their health.