Living libraries: Nurse integration in interprofessional homeless health care team

Abstract

Background: Despite an increase in national health care service utilization, entry into the health care system remains inequitable. This disparity in health care access disproportionately affects those experiencing homelessness. Because the homeless population faces significant financial and nonfinancial barriers, health care system engagement with these individuals must be reconsidered. Objective: This article will describe the piloting of an interprofessional model within an urban library to address barriers to health care access that homeless individuals face. Design: The library's unique status as a community hub presents an opportunity for partnership in addressing this population's health care access issues. This community-based model is the first recorded to utilize three distinct professions—nursing, social work, and library science—in a public library. Results and Conclusions: The implementation of this pilot project resulted in a high retention rate of referrals to community health services for those unstably housed and facilitated a system of warm transfers. Although opportunities to improve generalizability exist, this initiative sets the stage for discussion around co-location of health and social services in a nontraditional community-based setting to achieve equitable access to health care.