Barriers To Nursing Advocacy Paper

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Intro Nurses play many vital roles when it comes to working with patients. Among the many different healthcare professionals, nurses experience the most interpersonal contact with patients; therefore, it is sensible for a nurse to be an advocate for their patients. For the patients and families of patients receiving end-of-life care, the process may be very stressful and may often be considered a burden. As a nurse, it is important to advocate for the patient by communicating effectively, educating the patient and families, delivering information with honesty, and making sure patients understand and are fully aware of their options regarding their healthcare. Increasing awareness about the benefits of advance care planning helps guide healthcare professionals as they deliver the best care for the patient nearing the end of their life.
End-of-Life Care: Hospice According to Shi and Singh (2015), end-of-life care deals with preventing pain and stress for terminally ill patients and their families. The focus of this type of care is patient dignity and comfort, which …show more content…

There are many different ways to advocate for a patient and their family. Undoubtedly, there are various barriers to nursing advocacy. Novice nurses believed that lack of communication and the lack of time and support are considered barriers to advocacy (Hebert et al., 2011). Education is considered a barrier because nursing schools shed limited information on death and dying and end-of-life care, which consequently, leads to inadequate care (Hebert et al., 2011). Another barrier is that nurses are unable to recognize the stages of grief during end-of-life discussions (Hebert et al., 2011). Lastly, cultural competency is considered a barrier because it is often a challenge to understand different cultural factors that influence one’s healthcare

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