Attributes, skills and resources required for peer health navigator roles: A qualitative study of the perspective of patients, healthcare professionals and health navigators.

Abstract

Peer health navigators (PHNs) support individuals to navigate healthcare and social service systems and overcome barriers to service access. They are trained members of the community who engage with others from their community. With the recent increase in navigator roles, there is an emerging need to better understand the required attributes and skills. The aim of this study is to identify the attributes and skills required of a PHN, from the perspective of patients, healthcare professionals and other health navigators. Using a qualitative approach, findings from interviews with patients and focus groups of health navigators and healthcare professionals were integrated to achieve triangulation. Two vignettes with associated questions were used to explore participants thoughts on the attributes and skills required of a PHN. Thirty-five participants took part in either an individual interview (n = 16) or focus group (n = 19). Four themes were identified: Personal Attributes, Tacit Knowledge, Explicit Knowledge and Organisational Integration. Personal attributes and tacit knowledge were valued highly by the patient and health navigator participants. In comparison, the healthcare professional participants were very clear in their requirements of defined role boundaries and appropriate employing organisation support. Education and training of the PHN should consider providing opportunities to develop tacit knowledge, while employers can prioritise tacit knowledge as a quality of future employees during the recruitment process. The success of the PHN role requires the employing organisation to supervise, mentor and provide an appropriate scope of practice which clearly defines the PHN role. The personal attributes and tacit knowledge of PHNs are valuable characteristics that can influence healthcare engagement of individuals and communities. Appropriate supervision and mentoring by the employing organisation will provide the best opportunity for the PHN to work within their scope of practice and to succeed in their role.