Scope and inclination of voluntary service for urban community‐living older adults provided by volunteers with nursing background: A qualitative study

Abstract

BackgroundWith the growing challenge of an aging population, addressing the needs of elderly individuals who face living difficulties and lack family support becomes increasingly difficult. Volunteer services are crucial in this context, yet their effectiveness is hindered by unclear service scopes and uncertain volunteer inclinations.AimTo explore the role and specific preference of volunteers with nursing backgrounds in support of older adults living in the urban community.Design, Setting and ParticipantsA descriptive qualitative study was conducted between September and October 2022. Twenty‐three participants (hospital nurses [10], community nurses [4], nursing teachers [4] and nursing students [5]) were selected. Data analysis followed conventional content analysis.ResultsNine major themes were identified based on interview data. Four themes described the service scope of nursing volunteers: (1) environment domain, (2) physiological domain, (3) psychosocial domain and (4) health‐related behaviours domain. Another five themes highlighted the service inclination of these volunteers: (1) service frequency, (2) service duration per person/time, (3) service coverage, (4) service place and (5) service object.ConclusionThis study clarifies the service focus and scope of necessary support for volunteers, exploring the potential service capabilities of scarce volunteers to the greatest extent. Meanwhile, the results of this study also provide a foundation for stakeholders to fully exploit the synergy. The important findings of this study will help the government and relevant authorities better understand the service attributes of nursing volunteers, allowing them to develop detailed training plans and provide nursing volunteers with targeted support and assistance to meet the health expectations of urban community‐living older adults in need.Patient or Public ContributionDeveloping research questions, participation and conduct and provision and interpretation of evidence.