title: Community matrons--an exploratory study of patients' views and experiences.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to explore patients' views and experiences of the community matron role in one primary care provider organization.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Community matrons manage the needs of people living with long-term conditions in the community and aim to improve patient self-management and education, and enhance co-ordination between in primary and social care.
  
  
  METHODS
  A purposive sample of 14 service users (ten women, four men; aged 45-89 years) with a range of chronic conditions took part in interviews in 2007. A grounded theory approach was the framework for data collection and analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The role of the community matron appeared to have a positive impact on patient care mainly in three areas: access, patient advocacy and psychosocial support. Patients thought that they had easier access to healthcare services and that the community matron acted as an advocate by helping them to understand medical jargon and supporting them at hospital appointments, thereby providing a link to secondary care. Some patient perceptions differed from those about other primary care staff.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is evidence that community matrons may have a beneficial effect on patients' perceptions of their care, psycho-social support, access to services and advocacy. The impact of this role on the patient experience needs to be taken into account when evaluating this nursing role and services, as benefits may not be captured by relying solely on quantitative evaluations of hospital readmission rates.
authors.affiliation: School of Health Sciences and Social Care, Brunel University, West London, UK. veronika.williams@brunel.ac.uk
authors.forename: Veronika
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chapman
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Oliver
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001294:Attitude to Health; D019090:Case Management / Q000458:organization & administration*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003152:Community Health Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D008134:Long-Term Care / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009718:Nurse Administrators; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D009740:Nursing Staff / Q000458:organization & administration; D010344:Patient Advocacy; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012648:Self Care; D013222:State Medicine / Q000458:organization & administration; D006113:United Kingdom