title: Community matrons as problem-solvers for people living with multi-co-morbid disease.
abstract: Working with patients in their own homes gives community matrons an advantage of seeing patients in the context of their everyday lives. This allows comprehensive assessment of need with an aim of promoting health or promoting stability for people living with chronic disease. Complex issues are resolved through problem-solving and this can result in patients being maintained in their own homes and thus in reduced unplanned hospitalisation. Data were collected from participants using semi-structured interviews and audio diaries. The sample comprised professionals: CMs (n=21), managers (n=4), former commissioners (n=2) and GPs (n=3); and patients (n=10) and their family carers (n=5). In this article, data from community matrons is discussed. Community matrons often drew on the social determinants model of health to problem solve and to create meaningful strategies that work for patients in their care. Raising awareness of the high-level skills of community matrons and promoting appreciation of the importance of a social determinants model of health is important in explaining why nurses are such a crucial element of the primary health care workforce.
authors.affiliation: Senior Lecturer in Primary Health Care, Sydney Nursing School The University of Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Sue
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Randall
authors.affiliation: Honorary Principal Research Fellow, Faculty of Health & Life Sciences Coventry University.
authors.forename: Colin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Thunhurst
authors.affiliation: Professor of Cardiovascular Rehabilitation, Centre for Technology Enabled Health Research Faculty of Health & Life Sciences, Coventry University.
authors.forename: Gill
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Furze
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000451:nursing*; D003152:Community Health Nursing; D015897:Comorbidity; D004739:England; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D024802:Nurse's Role; D011340:Problem Solving; D064890:Social Determinants of Health
keywords: case management; community matrons; problem-solving; self-care communication; social determinants of health