The Importance of Patient Advocacy Essay - 1155 Words

In Nursing, there will always be instances where the patients nurse needs to advocate for their patient. There are numerous reasons why a nurse would advocate for their patient ranging from getting the doctor to change the patient’s orders, helping the patient’s treatment team understand what it is the patient is requiring for the day, to expressing the patient’s last wishes before death. In every situation, the nurse should do what is in the patient’s best interest. Tomajan (2012), â€Å"Advocacy skills are the ability to successfully support a cause or interest on one’s own behalf or that of another. Advocacy requires a set of skills that include problem solving, communication, influence, and collaboration†(p. 2). With those skills, the†¦show more content†¦Another example is when a doctor just transcribed a lot of new orders and the patient doesn’t know what some of the tests are and the nurse doesn’t know why the do ctor ordered them. The nurse then needs to hunt down the doctor and advocate for their patient. Once the nurse speaks to the doctor and they ask them to come and explain the tests and reasoning to the patient that is the first step of advocating for their patient. When the doctor goes to talk to the patient, the patient asks many questions and agrees to have the tests done. This was a problem but once the problem was identified, the patient understood what was going on and felt like they had a say in it. The second core attribute is acting on behalf of the patient that includes representing patients’ values, benefits, and rights. (Bu Jezewski, 2006) Since it is the patients right to know why certain things are being done, it was appropriate for the nurse to ask the doctor to go speak to the patient. The last core attribute championing social justice in the provisional of health care is ethics of justice where in this case it doesn’t apply. Basically what it is thoug h is nurses becoming social activists and standing up for what is right. Since the healthcare team and the patient worked together, the problem was solved almost instantly and the patient was happy with the outcome. Communication Communication isShow MoreRelatedBehavioral Health System Is An Acute Crisis Stabilization Hospital780 Words   |  4 Pagesassessments are completed, patients receive treatment goals. The treatment goals are intended to enhance their well-being during their hospitalization and after the patient is discharged. A major component of the discharge process is to provide patients with scheduled follow-up appointments with a psychiatrist and therapist. The follow-up appointments ensure patients have reliable and confirmed access to outpatient providers. However, prior to discharge, it is uncommon for patients to complete an individualRead MoreNurses Are Champions For Nurses866 Words   |  4 PagesNurses are champions. 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What I admire the most about Florence is her strength in advocacy and her focus on leadership and education. Florence was quoted saying â€Å"Were there none who were discontented with what they have, the world would never reach anything better† (Nightingale, 2001-2012). Florence was a strong advocate for egalitarian human rights. In her first role at the Hospital for Gentlewomen in Distressed Circumstances included patients of all faiths or even of no faith could be equally admitted (Selanders