Health and homelessness: weaving a net of care as a specialist practitioner

Reflective practice was used as a process of self-inquiry and transformation in a PhD study of my specialist role in single and family homelessness. New to homelessness when I embarked on the study, there was little to guide my nursing practice and, notably, there was insufficient research evidence to demonstrate the effectiveness of specialist practice with homeless people. Through my reflexive narrative study, that research gap was addressed. The aim of the narrative was to inform the reader of the reflexive journey and my transformation as a specialist practitioner in homeless health care, and to invite readers to reflect on their own perceptions of homelessness along with the health needs of homeless people. Study findings illuminated the key ethical role that mainstream health professionals, including specialist community public health nurses (SCPHNs), have towards effective engagement to reduce suffering and prevent homeless people and families falling through the net of care. As my research progressed I metaphorically understood the specialist practitioner role as a clinical and strategic 'net-weaver' in a net of care between homeless people, multi-agency partnerships, community and acute health services, and in education.