Lucy McWilliams

Ms. Lucy McWilliams

Alcohol & Drug Service, St Vincent's Hospital Sydney, Darlinghurst, Australia

Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

5Years (2022-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

View All Publications
27 July 2022 in Journal of Advanced Nursing
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
LMLucy McWilliams
Lucy McWilliams
MPMartha Paisi
Martha Paisi
SMSandy Middleton
Sandy Middleton
JSJILL SHAWE
JILL SHAWE
ATAnna Thornton
Anna Thornton
JCJane Currie
Jane Currie
Aims: To investigate the scope of practice of nurse‐led services for people experiencing homelessness, and the influence on access to healthcare.Design: A scoping review.Data Sources: On 20 November 2020, the following databases were searched: CINAHL, Embase, MEDLINE, PubMed and Scopus.Review Methods: Included studies focused on people experiencing homelessness aged 18 years and over, nurse‐led services in any setting and described the nursing scope of practice. Studies were peer‐reviewed primary research, published in English from the year 2000. Three authors performed quality appraisals using the mixed methods assessment tool. Results were synthesized and discussed narratively and reported according to the PRISMA‐ScR 2020 Statement.Results: Nineteen studies were included from the United States (n = 9), Australia (n = 4), United Kingdom (n = 4) and Canada (n = 2). The total participant sample size wasn = 6303. Studies focused on registered nurses (n = 10), nurse practitioners (n = 5) or both (n = 4), in outpatient or community settings. The nursing scope of practice was broad and covered a range of skills, knowledge and attributes. Key skills identified include assessment and procedural skills, client support and health education. Key attributes were a trauma‐informed approach and building trust through communication. Important knowledge included understanding the impact of homelessness, knowledge of available services and the capacity to undertake holistic assessments. Findings suggest that nurse‐led care facilitated access to healthcare through building trust and supporting clients to access services.Conclusion: Optimized nursing scope of practice can facilitate access to healthcare for people experiencing homelessness. Key factors in enabling this include autonomy in nursing practice, organizational support and education.Impact: The broad range of skills, knowledge and attributes reported provide a foundation from which to design an educational framework to optimize the nursing scope of practice, thereby increasing access to healthcare for people experiencing homelessness.

JCJane Currie
Jane Currie
OHOlivia Hollingdrake
Olivia Hollingdrake
LGLizzie Grech
Lizzie Grech
GMGeorgia McEnroe
Georgia McEnroe
LMLucy McWilliams
Lucy McWilliams
DLDominic Le Lievre
Dominic Le Lievre
The success of the Australian COVID-19 vaccination strategy rested on access to primary healthcare. People experiencing or at risk of homelessness are less likely to access primary healthcare services. Therefore, leaders in homeless health service delivery in Sydney identified the need to develop a vaccine hub specifically for this vulnerable population. The aim of this study was to develop an evidenced based model of care to underpin the Vaccine Hub and optimize access to vaccination for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. A mixed methods study was conducted that included interviews with key stakeholders involved in establishing and delivering the Inner City COVID-19 Vaccine Hub, and a survey with people receiving COVID-19 vaccination. Over the 6-month period of this study, 4305 COVID-19 vaccinations were administered. Participants receiving vaccination reported feeling safe in the Vaccine Hub and would recommend it to others. Stakeholders paid tribute to the collective teamwork of the Vaccine Hub, the collaboration between services, the ‘no wrong door’ approach to increasing access and the joy of being able to support such a vulnerable population in challenging times. The study findings have been populated into a Vaccination Hub Blueprint document that can be used as a template for others to improve access to vaccinations for vulnerable populations.

25 November 2024 in Journal of Advanced Nursing
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
CTCristina Thompson
Cristina Thompson
DMDarcy Morris
Darcy Morris
MLMatthew Larkin
Matthew Larkin
LMLucy McWilliams
Lucy McWilliams
AHAlejandro Vasquez Hernandez
Alejandro Vasquez Hernandez
JCJane Currie
Jane Currie