Using patterns of knowing in nursing as a possible framework for nursing care of homeless families with children.

In developed countries such as Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States of America, homeless families are amongst the fastest growing subpopulations of the homeless. This paper seeks to explore the major issues involved in the health and nursing care of such families, and proposes that the patterns of knowing in nursing offer a pertinent, guiding framework for nurses to understand the phenomenon and to optimize holistic nursing care for homeless families with children.