Enhancing a public health nursing shelter program

Area of Science:

• Public Health Nursing
• Program Development
• Health Services Research

Background:

• The Shelter Nurse Program provides essential care to homeless individuals and families.
• Formalized program goals, objectives, and outcome evaluation plans were lacking.
• Program evolution necessitated structured development and evaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assist an agency in enhancing the Shelter Nurse Program.
• To develop formalized program goals, objectives, and an outcome evaluation plan.
• To improve the health of the homeless population served by the program.

Main Methods:

• Collaborated with agency and shelter nurses throughout the process.
• Assessed program needs.
• Developed appropriate goals, objectives, and an outcome evaluation plan.

Main Results:

• Successfully developed formalized program goals, objectives, and an outcome evaluation plan.
• Identified the value of a selected program development model.
• Highlighted the importance of agency ownership and front-line worker participation.

Conclusions:

• Formalized program development and evaluation are crucial for improving health outcomes in homeless populations.
• Agency buy-in and front-line staff engagement are vital for program success.
• Ongoing education and resource provision enhance program effectiveness.