Nursing Consultation in a Public Bathhouse: A Community Resource for the Vulnerable Population in a European Capital

Abstract

Background: In Portugal's capital, Lisbon, there are 19 public showers (PS) attended by a vulnerable population. Aim: To describe the assessment and interventions performed during nursing consultations. Method: This is a quantitative, observational, and cross-sectional study. Findings: In a convenience sample of 77 users, 52% are females, 43% are single, 52% do not possess any economic resources, 87% have mental health issues, and 32% are homeless. The main nursing focuses found were: arterial hypertension, disease management skills, and emotional suffering. The most used nursing intervention is listening, followed by the expression of feelings, valuing the individual and his/her story, analyzing causes, providing support, and comforting. Conclusions: This study shows that the main focus of the nursing care in these facilities is the human being. The respect for individuality and dignity was the primary concern, in an attempt to empower the individual to better manage his/her health and illness processes.