Nurse-Led Outreach: A Day in the Life Bridging Healthcare Gaps for Australia’s Vulnerable Populations
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A groundbreaking social enterprise is redefining healthcare access for those experiencing homelessness and complex vulnerability across Australia. OneBridge, founded and led by Adjunct Associate Professor Sonia Martin, delivers vital outreach and place-based care, tackling systemic inequities head-on.
OneBridge operates across Queensland and New South Wales, with ambitions for national expansion, providing contracted healthcare services to organizations supporting homelessness, housing initiatives, and local hospitals – particularly assisting with patient discharge. But what does a typical day look like for the leader of such an innovative organization?
A Foundation of Reflection
Martin’s day begins before most, starting at 5:00 AM. Rather than diving instantly into the demands of leadership, she prioritizes personal well-being. “I walk, swim, or sit peacefully and wait for the day to begin,” she shares. This deliberate pause, she explains, provides crucial space for clear thinking before the day’s challenges unfold.
Strategic Alignment and Partnership Building
By 7:30 AM, the focus shifts to organizational priorities. Martin begins by connecting with her chief Operating Officer and clinical Lead, a daily check-in centered on key priorities, workforce management, team well-being, clinical risk assessment, and updates on partnerships and contracts.
This is followed by a meeting with the National Partnerships Lead, a critical component of OneBridge’s growth strategy. Thes discussions center on cultivating new relationships with potential partners, strengthening existing collaborations, and identifying opportunities to expand OneBridge’s reach and impact.
Direct Clinical Engagement and Comprehensive Care
When possible,Martin continues to engage directly in clinical outreach. on this particular day, she joined a nurse at a local drop-in community space, a partnership cultivated over years. Over four hours, the team conducted between four and twelve nursing consultations in unconventional settings – “we’re in a carpark sitting in gutters, or standing on the bitumen with community.” Despite the informal surroundings, the care provided is comprehensive: wound care, chronic disease support, medication reviews, mental health triage, care navigation, Hep C testing, skin cancer assessments, telehealth consultations, and drug and alcohol support utilizing a harm reduction approach.
The approach to substance use is particularly noteworthy. OneBridge provides free, clean injecting equipment, vein care education, naloxone, and support plans tailored to the realities of individuals’ lives, alongside referrals to essential services like GP care, hospital follow-up, and housing support.
Martin highlights the crucial link between this direct clinical work and strategic decision-making. “The clinical work informs the strategic work. It shows where systems are functioning and where they are not.”
Advocacy and Systemic Change
The afternoon shifts towards advocacy and sector development. Martin chairs the Street Health Faculty with the Australian College of Nursing, a national body dedicated to supporting nurses working with individuals experiencing homelessness and vulnerability. This role involves supporting outreach nurses across Australia, developing standardized practices, identifying systemic issues, communicating these concerns to policymakers, and advocating for funding models that recognize nurse-led outreach as a core healthcare service.
This advocacy is rooted in a fundamental principle: healthcare should be accessible irrespective of an individual’s appointment status, address, or ability to navigate complex systems.
Strategic Planning and Long-Term Sustainability
From 3:30 PM onward, martin focuses on strategic planning and partnership documentation, including proposal development, program design, and data analysis. She also dedicates time to consulting and education,sharing her expertise through The MartMolly Method,an equity-informed framework for clinicians.
A Commitment to Reachable Healthcare
By 5:00 PM, Martin concludes her workday, recognizing the need for presence, consistency, and clear direction in leading a health service within this challenging space. Her role encompasses strategic leadership,system partnership,health equity advocacy,education,direct clinical practice,and governance oversight.
Crucially, Martin emphasizes the importance of remaining connected to clinical practice. “Keeping one foot in clinical practice ensures the system work stays anchored in reality,” she explains.This connection reinforces her core purpose: ensuring healthcare is reachable by those who need it most. “This is part of the equity puzzle, we as health leaders, can solve together.”
Images: Supplied
