Contributions of Specialized Nurses to Medication Management for Older People in Home Care: A Mixed-Method Systematic Review

Abstract

There is a growing international interest in defining the roles, responsibilities, and contributions of specialized nurses across various aspects of home care to establish them as effective members of multidisciplinary home care teams. This study aimed to identify and describe the contributions of specialized nurses to medication management for older people in home care. This systematic review was performed using a mixed method approach. A thorough search was conducted across PubMed (including MEDLINE), Scopus, CINAHL, ProQuest, and Embase, focusing on studies published in English over the last decade, from 2014 to 2024. The convergent synthesis was used to combine and analyze qualitative and quantitative evidence in parallel to address the review question. The initial search yielded 875 studies, which were then refined to 32 studies selected for data-based convergent synthesis. The findings of the review were organized into three categories: “specialized nurses’ identities”, “specialized nurses’ roles and responsibilities”, and “impact of specialized nurses’ medication management in home care”. Specialized nurses played key roles in enhancing medication safety, improving older adults’ quality of life, and reducing emergency visits. Their support in medication management eased the home care burden and ensured timely interventions for better symptom control and healthcare outcomes. Specialized nurses bring vital expertise to home care multidisciplinary medication team, promoting safe medication practices and helping older adults manage chronic conditions effectively at home.