Mapping -nurses’ roles in home care for older people: a scoping review

Introduction Historical, geographic, and contextual variation in nursing titles and the multitude of labels for different roles have hindered the creation of a clear map outlining nursing roles in home care settings for older people. Objective This scoping review aimed to explore the literature on nurses’ roles in home care for older people. Methods A literature search was conducted using Embase, CINAHL, and Medline by two independent reviewers. Results Out of 1973 references, 14 studies from eight countries were included, primarily from the United Kingdom (n = 6), the United States (n = 2), and Italy (n = 2). Twelve distinct nursing roles were identified, addressing health issues such as cardiovascular disease, mental health disorders, and diabetes. The most frequent nursing activities performed were assessment-related (32%). Conclusion The findings indicate the presence of diverse nursing roles in home care and highlight the significant heterogeneity in nursing activities performed.