Factors influencing the implementation of a general practice nurse-led intervention to improve social connectedness among older people in Australia: a qualitative descriptive study.
Background: Social connection is fundamental to healthy ageing reducing the serious health impacts of loneliness and social isolation. General practice nurses (GPNs) have skills in assessing and responding to older people's complex needs, applicable to nurse-led interventions strengthening older peo...
| Published in: | Journal of Research in Nursing Vol. 31; no. 3/4; pp. 243 - 260 |
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| Main Authors: | , , , |
| Format: | research tables/charts Journal Article |
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Sage Publications Inc.
Jun2026
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| Online Access: | View this record in EBSCOhost |
| fields | @attributes: recordID: 1 pdfLink: plink: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ccm&AN=193813418&site=ehost-live header: @attributes: shortDbName: ccm uiTerm: 193813418 longDbName: CINAHL Complete uiTag: AN controlInfo: bkinfo: dissinfo: jinfo: jid: 17449871 1FV0 jtl: Journal of Research in Nursing issn: 17449871 maglogo: Y pubinfo: dt: Jun2026 vid: 31 iid: 3/4 pid: 344 pub: Sage Publications Inc. place: Thousand Oaks, California artinfo: ui: 193813418 190975419 193813418 193813418 10.1177/17449871251410561 193813418 ppf: 243 ppct: 17 formats: tig: atl: Factors influencing the implementation of a general practice nurse-led intervention to improve social connectedness among older people in Australia: a qualitative descriptive study. aug: au: Thompson, Cristina Halcomb, Elizabeth Montgomery, Amy Peters, Kath affil: Health Innovations, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia sug: subj: Family Nurses Nursing Interventions Nursing Role Interpersonal Relations In Old Age Program Implementation Loneliness Prevention and Control Healthy Aging Social Isolation Prevention and Control Health Services for Older Persons Australia Outcomes (Health Care) Human Australia Funding Source Male Female Adult Middle Age Aged Aged, 80 and Over Qualitative Studies Descriptive Research Multimethod Studies Semi-Structured Interview Audiorecording Reflection Thematic Analysis Descriptive Statistics Data Analysis Software Social Behavior Patient Attitudes Social Participation Family Support Ageism Autonomy Nurse Attitudes Program Evaluation Organizational Culture Teamwork Implementation Science Social Environment Support, Social Natural Disasters COVID-19 Financial Support Adult: 19-44 years Middle Aged: 45-64 years Aged: 65+ years Aged, 80 & over Male Female ab: Background: Social connection is fundamental to healthy ageing reducing the serious health impacts of loneliness and social isolation. General practice nurses (GPNs) have skills in assessing and responding to older people's complex needs, applicable to nurse-led interventions strengthening older people's social connections. Aim: To explore factors influencing the implementation of a GPN-led social prescribing intervention to improve social connectedness among older people. Methods: A qualitative descriptive study was conducted through semi-structured interviews (n = 13) and two focus groups with eight Australian GPNs exploring intervention implementation. The intervention comprised assessment, goal setting, co-production of personalised plans, referral, and follow-up. Data were inductively analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Results: Themes revealed individual, organisational, and system-level factors that influenced implementation. Barriers included the attitudes and priorities of older people, the disruptive environmental context arising from natural disasters, and system factors including primary care funding and community infrastructure. Family support, positive general practice workplace cultures, and intervention adaptability were enabling factors. Conclusions: GPNs were able to integrate the intervention into their usual workflow and appropriately respond to lonely and socially isolated older people. However, GPN-led interventions are currently limited by funding models. Building nursing workforce capacity can support integrated health and social care for older people. pubtype: Academic Journal doctype: research tables/charts Journal Article ougenre: Article language: English refInfo: holdings: @attributes: islocal: N |
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