A THEORY-BASED NURSING INTERVENTION TO INSTILL HOPE IN HOMELESS VETERANS

This quasi-experimental study sought to determine if a specific nursin g intervention to instill hope would positively influence levels of ho pe, self-efficacy, self-esteem, and depression in homeless veterans. M iller's Model of Patient Power Resources served as the conceptual fram ework from which a middle-range theory of homelessness-hopelessness wa s derived to guide the study. Homeless veterans completed pretests on admission to a Veterans Affairs Medical Center, were randomly assigned to treatment or waiting control group, and completed posttests at the end of 4 weeks. There was support for the homelessness-hopelessness t heory as evidenced by a high level of depression and low levels of hop e, self-efficacy, and self-esteem among these homeless veterans. Furth er support for the theory was seen in the increased levels of hope and self-esteem and decreased depression in veterans who received the nur sing intervention. Treatment and control groups differed significantly with regard to hope at posttest.