Definition of ‘adult social care nursing’ highlights complexity of the role
A new study has provided what is claimed to be the first formal definition of ‘adult social care nursing’ in a bid to challenge misconceptions and promote the skills of the workforce.
Led by Professor Claire Pryor, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Foundation’s chair in adult social care nursing, the analysis sets out the complexity of the role, that it is highly skilled and that it should be as valued as any other nursing role.
The study, published in the International Journal of Nursing Studies Advances, draws on nurse focus groups and interviews, as well as literature reviews, to provide a new definition of what social care nursing is.
The definition established in the study states that adult social care nursing ‘seeks to support quality of life and delivers high quality care’. It adds that it is ‘multifaceted’ and ‘situates the registered nurse and the person receiving care as partners’.
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It also offers details into who accesses the nursing services, the locations care takes place and the skills the nurses needed (see box below for full definition).
Professor Pryor of Salford University, who is a former nurse practitioner with experience working as a nursing assistant in care homes, said she hopes the first formal definition will serve as a ‘springboard’ for further discussions and developments for the profession.
She stated that the lack of definition has so far led to a ‘fragmented understanding of nurses’ contributions and responsibilities’ in social care.
‘Nurses working in this sector may feel unseen and that their skills are often not as valued as nurses in other healthcare settings,’ said Professor Pryor.
‘Social care nurses have a complex role, providing care in a multitude of different settings.
‘These predominantly include care homes, and in the individual’s own home. They often work independently which requires a great deal of skill and expertise.’
As the government looks to shift more care into the community, Professor Pryor stressed a ‘clear understanding of adult social care nursing is crucial to strengthen integration’.
‘We need to challenge misconceptions about the role and emphasise the skills of adult social care nurses as equal partners in integrated health and social care,’ she said.
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In the study, it states that the term ‘social care’ is widely recognised, with around 40,000 registered nurses working in the adult social care sector in the UK, but there has never previously been a formal definition of what it means to be a social care nurse.
The analysis identifies that adult social care nurses provide comprehensive care for people with complex nursing care needs, with an aim to facilitate their wellbeing.
It concludes that the new definition highlights the ‘diverse skills, knowledge, and attributes that nurses bring to social care’ and provides a ‘flexible framework that can be adapted across international social care systems, promoting recognition of nursing roles beyond the context of large-scale statutory healthcare provision’.
The definition of adult social care nursing is as follows:
Adult social care nursing seeks to support quality of life and delivers high quality care. It is built upon a philosophy of personalised care, with the recipient (and their family/carers) being active partners in co-creating how their health, independence, and wellbeing is supported, and how they can live well in their social world.
Adult social care nursing is multifaceted and situates the registered nurse and the person receiving care as partners. People using adult social care nursing services are of all ages, and have a variety of needs including physical, mental health, learning disability or illness. These needs are complex and multi-faceted requiring a registered nurse to provide or oversee their care. Adult social care nursing is dynamic, independent and autonomous, relying on critical analytical and evidence-based nursing skills, in tandem with managerial and business skill development.
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Locations of social care nursing provision are wide ranging. This may include (but are not limited to) care homes, private homes, shared housing, non-National Health Service intermediate care settings, temporary accommodation, and services such as day centres.
Adult social care nurses may employ a range of fundamental, specialist, and advanced, nursing skills depending on the people they care for. This may include (but is not limited to) long- and short-term condition management, behavioural support and communication skills, end of life care, medicines management, history taking and assessment. It encompasses direct care provision such as nutritional and hydration support, and condition specific care such as ventilatory support including tracheostomy care. Social care nurses may engage in health promotion, prevention and public health activities such as supporting health education and sexual health, smoking cessation, and addiction support.
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