NURS FPX 4015 Assessment 4 Caring for Special Populations Teaching Presentation
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Capella University
NURS-FPX4015 Pathophysiology, Pharmacology, and Physical Assessment: A Holistic Approach to Patient-Centered Care
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Date
NURS FPX 4015 Assessment 4 Caring for Special Populations Teaching Presentation
Hello everyone, and thank you for being here today. In this presentation, we will explore how to provide care for special populations, with a focus on individuals experiencing homelessness and the specific challenges they face.
Caring for Special Populations: Teaching Presentation
People who are homeless or housing-unstable deal with many issues, including poor health, safety, and accessing medical services. They often reside in unstable living situations and face daily chaos, stress, and danger. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) reported that on a single night in 2023, nearly 653,100 individuals in the United States experienced homelessness (Glassman, 2024). This assessment emphasizes individuals experiencing homelessness or housing instability as part of the healthcare spectrum. This process describes what it is to address cultural values, health issues, and the nurse’s role in providing culturally competent and respectful care. The ultimate objective includes finding real solutions to enhance the lives of individuals without stability.
Introduction to the Special Population
People who are homeless or housing-insecure face many issues in their lives. A person who is homeless does not have stable or safe housing; some people may be living in shelters, cars, a tent, or sleeping on the street. Others may stay with their friends or frequently move between short-term places. Housing-insecure includes someone having difficulty paying rent, living in a very crowded living situation, or facing eviction (Volunteers of America, n.d.). Many of these groups live in unsafe environments and do not have access to even their basic needs – clean water, food, or healthcare, for example.
Living without stable housing affects a person’s overall physical and mental health. When one does not have a stable place, it can be difficult to visit a doctor, obtain needed medications, or be compliant with a treatment plan. Many people in these groups live with chronic illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease, or mental health disorders, such as depression or anxiety (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), 2025). The lack of sleep, poor nutrition, and high stress often exacerbate those issues.
Nurses have a significant position in providing nursing care to people living without homes. To provide compassionate and respectful care, it is important to learn about their backgrounds, struggles, and experiences. Many people who experience homelessness feel stigmatized and unwelcome in a clinical setting. Practicing compassion, patience, and respectful communication can establish trust with individuals sometimes seen as different. Nurses need to understand the social and economic issues that result in homelessness (Currie et al, 2023) to provide care that is medical and supportive of the person’s environment. When the nurse cares empathically, they become a part of the solution to health inequality.
Cultural Values and Beliefs
Individuals who experience homelessness or housing insecurity come from diverse backgrounds. Some may originate from different cultures, languages, or religions. Others may have had experience as a veteran, or earlier in life, they may have experienced trauma. Many individuals who find themselves homeless value privacy and independence. When living on the streets or in shelters, these individuals also have to learn to survive with little to no possessions. Individuals learn to depend on themselves and may feel uncomfortable relying on others for assistance. Trust is paramount within this population.
Many have had poor experiences with systems and structures like the police, healthcare, or social services, and have felt ignored, judged, or mistreated. Because of these experiences, homeless individuals typically see nurses and other healthcare providers through the lens of previous experiences (Šimon et al., 2024). Asking for permission to touch or listening intently are small but mighty demonstrations of respect.
For some individuals, spirituality is also relevant. For example, having faith or engaging in a spiritual process may bring comfort during difficult times. Others may have experienced challenges that made them feel disconnected from their culture or identity. Family connections may be lost or severed in particular circumstances, leading to feelings of shame or isolation. All of these beliefs and values help inform the nurse’s ability to provide care that is respectful of the person.
According to Šimon et al. (2024), trust builds with easy, kind questions and responses that show true concern for the person. Nurses should also respect that every individual’s story is unique. In promoting the dignity of each person, nurses restore trust and provide care that can be perceived as secure and intimate. Improved outcomes occur when these considerations promote feeling valued and seen.
Healthcare Disparities
Homeless individuals and people who are housing insecure experience significant gaps in healthcare. Many do not have health insurance and lack the funds to pay for needed care. Barriers such as lack of transportation, lost identification, and long wait times at clinics create further gaps and prevent them from getting treatment. Unfortunately, these barriers often prevent people from getting care early, resulting in the outbreak of illnesses that often worsen before treatment is sought. Others avoid hospitals due to fear or shame and prior bad experiences in a hospital. Individuals without stable housing often have higher rates of chronic illness, infections, mental health issues, and injuries.
This group is also more likely to experience issues such as asthma, diabetes, high blood pressure, and HIV (Vohra et al., 2022). As many individuals within this vulnerable population live with untreated mental disorders, they can also represent significant substance use (SAMHSA, 2025). Problems such as cold weather, unsafe sleeping conditions, and hunger contribute to the above issues and thereby create additional barriers.
Healthcare systems are often unable to meet the specific needs of this population. Standard treatment plans do not apply when someone doesn’t have a place to stay, a way to store their medications, or access to a meal on a regular basis. Some individuals are ejected from clinics or feel like staff have made a judgment about them. This results in a lack of trust and in poor follow-up care.
Studies show that people who are experiencing homelessness are more likely to go to emergency rooms instead of scheduling routine checkups (Vohra et al., 2022). They are also more likely to be admitted to hospitals for conditions that could have been seen on an outpatient basis. These barriers demonstrate the necessity of care that is adaptable, compassionate, and centered on the individual and their lived experiences. Nurses have an integral role in advocating for quality care, providing support to patients, and helping connect individuals with community resources.
Strategies for Culturally Competent Nursing Care
Nurses who work with individuals experiencing homelessness or housing instability must first establish trust. Many people facing homelessness have been rejected or judged in their lives. A friendly, respectful demeanor helps individuals feel safe and appreciated. Actively listening without judgment shows the individual that their experiences and feelings are valuable (Currie et al., 2023). Speaking slowly and using plain language will help avoid confusion and enhance understanding, especially for individuals with low literacy or mental health concerns.
Further, delivering care that can be flexible is important. Individuals experiencing homelessness and those without stable housing are often not able to attend appointments reliably and/or consistently. Mobile clinics, walk-in hours, and shelters or community centers can help meet the needs of individuals. Nurses must acknowledge that many individuals experiencing homelessness have experienced trauma. Providing trauma-informed care to individuals experiencing homelessness can help facilitate a reduction in the risk of re-traumatization (Cochran et al., 2022). Trauma-informed care means that nurses will always explain what is being done, ask permission before touching, and provide choice.
Creating strong partnerships with social services workers, housing services workers, and mental health providers supports the whole person. Nurses support their patients by connecting them to food, shelter, and mental health care, which decreases stress and promotes healing. Having peers with lived experience of homelessness on care teams also builds trust and demonstrates that recovery is possible (Currie et al., 2023).
Culturally competent care takes into account the health disparities this population faces, such as poor access to healthcare, early death, and higher levels of disease. Culturally competent care also respects their lived experience and attends to basic needs first. Together, these approaches support just and dignified care to individuals experiencing homelessness.
Case Study
A nurse-managed outreach program was launched in three cities in Czechia to provide care for people who are homeless. These nurses delivered primary healthcare directly to people in shelters, and many of the people they served had not seen a clinician in years. People were accustomed to receiving indifference or having doors closed to them (Currie et al. 2023). The nurses worked in spaces where people resided or congregated to wait for healthcare.
The nurses provided care on-site with no appointment or insurance card needed. Eventually, the people in need accumulated the trust of the nurses. People started to come in earlier, before it got worse. They ended up infecting fewer people and using less emergency room time and fewer hospitalizations (Šimon et al. 2024). This saved the health system some pressure and some money. The nurses also worked side-by-side with housing workers, social services, and mental health providers. This interprofessional approach supported individuals to address care with greater needs beyond their medical care.
A significant change occurred, allowing physicians to be compensated for the additional time and expense involved with treating a patient without a home. Prior to this, many physicians were reluctant to see these patients because it involved more work. With the additional payment, physicians could care for patients without a home better. This study showed that nurse-led outreach had a real impact (Šimon et al., 2024). Nurses spent time going to people, listening with empathy, and connecting them to other services, on behalf of those who were often ignored. This approach fostered respect for the dignity of each person and produced more equity in healthcare. Just those simple, person-centered approaches produced better outcomes for a vulnerable population.
Resources for Further Learning
Many national and local organizations in the United States offer resources to help nurses and healthcare workers better understand and care for people experiencing homelessness. These tools support learning, advocacy, and compassionate care. National Alliance to End Homelessness (2025) is a leading organization that offers data, policy updates, and practical strategies to prevent and end homelessness. Their website includes reports, webinars, and fact sheets to help professionals stay informed. The address is 1518 K Street NW, 2nd Floor, Washington, DC 20005, and contact information is (202) 638-1526 or dessrow@naeh.org. via email.
Volunteers of America is a nonprofit that provides housing, healthcare, and support services. Nurses can learn from their community-based programs, which focus on mental health, addiction recovery, and homeless outreach. The address is 1660 Duke Street, Alexandria, VA 22314, the contact number is (703) 341-5000, and voa.org is the email (Volunteers of America, n.d.). HUD offers educational materials and funding programs focused on housing and health. HUD’s website includes resources on supportive housing models and healthcare partnerships for homeless individuals.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) supports people with mental illness or substance use disorders. SAMHSA provides toolkits, grant opportunities, and training on trauma-informed care and behavioral health services for people without housing (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), 2025). Local public libraries, community centers, and universities often host free workshops, public talks, or resource fairs. These events offer learning opportunities and connect nurses with community partners. By engaging with these resources, nurses can better understand the social, mental, and physical challenges faced by homeless individuals. Continued learning strengthens nursing practice, reduces stigma, and leads to equitable care for this vulnerable population.
Conclusion
Caring for individuals experiencing homelessness requires compassion, understanding, and flexible healthcare approaches. Nurses play a vital role by building trust and addressing both medical and social needs. Recognizing cultural values and past trauma helps create respectful and effective care. Nurse-led programs and community partnerships show that real change is possible. By continuing to learn and advocate, nurses can help improve health and dignity for this vulnerable population.
References
Cochran, A. L., McDonald, N. C., Prunkl, L., Brusher, E. V., Wang, J., Oluyede, L., & Wolfe, M. (2022). Transportation barriers to care among frequent health care users during the COVID pandemic. BMC Public Health, 22(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-14149-x
Currie, J., McWilliams, L., Paisi, M., Shawe, J., Thornton, A., Larkin, M., Taylor, J., & Middleton, S. (2023). Nurses’ perceptions of the skills, knowledge, and attributes required to optimize the scope of practice and improve access to care for people experiencing homelessness in Australia: A cross-sectional study. Collegian, 30(4), 586–594. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.colegn.2023.02.002
Glassman, B. (2024, February 27). A demographic profile of the population experiencing homelessness. Census.gov; United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2024/02/living-in-shelters.html
National Alliance to End Homelessness. (2025). Home. National Alliance to End Homelessness. https://endhomelessness.org/
Šimon, M., Latečková, B., & Potluka, O. (2024). Health and healthcare use of the homeless population: Evaluation study of joint social work and healthcare provision. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 161(104929), 104929–104929. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2024.104929
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). (2025). Homelessness programs and resources. https://www.hhs.gov/press-room/samhsa-announces-19m-supplemental-funding-strengthen-housing-capacity-homeless-people-serious-mental-illness.html
NURS FPX 4015 Assessment 4 Caring for Special Populations Teaching Presentation
Vohra, N., Paudyal, V., & Price, M. J. (2022). Homelessness and the use of emergency departments as a source of healthcare: A systematic review. International Journal of Emergency Medicine, 15(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12245-022-00435-3
Volunteers of America. (n.d.). Home page. Volunteers of America: National. https://www.voa.org/