In Nursing, there will always be instances where the patient's 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), “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 nursing staff will be able to work together to advocate for their patients. Along with those skills, nurses need to keep in mind the three core attributes that are: safeguarding patients’ autonomy; acting on behalf of patients; and championing social justice in the provision of health care. (Bu & Jezewski, 2006) Problem Solving Problem solving is when there is a problem or issue that needs to be resolved. When there is a problem with a patient the nursing staff needs to try and resolve it to make all parties satisfied. When trying to solve a problem, keep in mind about the core attribute safeguarding patients autonomy. In this core attribute, it involves the patient wanting to be involved in their health care plan, as well as make their own decisions as long as they are competent. (Bu & Jezewski, 2006) Once the problem is identified the nursing staff along with the patient, need to form a plan or possible goals that will help solve the problem. There will be many problems that can’t be complete... ... middle of paper ... ...unication, influence, or collaboration everyone needs to work together to ensure everything is being done in the patients best interest. Safeguarding patients’ autonomy will always make the patient feel that they are included in all decisions as long as they are mentally sane. Collaboration will include everyone and make sure that everyone is on the same page. Works Cited Bu, X., & Jezewski, M. (2006). Developing a mid-range theory of patient advocacy through concept analysis. 57(1), 101-110. Jecker, N. (1990). Integrating medical ethics with normative theory: Patient advocacy and social responsibility. 11(2), 125-139. Mallik, M. (2008). Advocacy in nursing-a review of the literature. 25(1), 130-138. Smith, A. (2004). Patient advocacy: Roles for nurses and leaders. 22(2), 88-90. Tomajan, K. (2012). Advocating for nurses and nursing. 17(1), 32-38.
The need for advocacy is most often first noticed by the nurse through empathy. When nurses are able to empathize with their patients it begins the process of advocacy. When the nurse empathizes with their patient an altruistic attitude towards the patient grows, this improves caring and caring is essentially an innate form of professional ethics. The want to advocate by the nurse is greatly enhanced when the nurse truly cares about the patient; which is best developed through empathy. The want to advocate for the patient by the nurse is the biggest factor in positive advocacy outcomes (Reed, F., et. all, 2016). Professional caring combines caring and empathy with nursing knowledge and competency; together these factors enable the nurse to serve as a capable moral agent for their patient within the healthcare system. It is not possible to advocate for a patient properly without being first able to empathize and create a therapeutic nurse-client
However, what if the actual patient is unsure what their wants or needs are? Can the nurse educate the patient without persuading them to their point of view? Can the nurse educate the patient without disrespecting the patient’s cultural values? With this being said, what are the consequences for the nurse if they advocate for the patient who is clearly in opposition to the health care professional and the family of the patient (Park, 2003)?
Veatch, Robert M.,"The Normative Principles of Medical Ethics." In Medical ethics. 1997. Reprint, Boston, MA: Jones and Bartlett, 1989 29-56.
Hanks, R.. (2008). The Lived Experience of Nursing Advocacy. Nursing Ethics, 15(4), 468-77. Retrieved February 27, 2012, from Research Library. (Document ID: 1486004371).
To answer all these questions is necessary to define advocacy. The meaning of advocacy in medical interpretation is “an action taken on behalf of an individual that goes beyond facilitating communication, with the intention of supporting good health outcomes” (NCIHC 3). According to CHIA standards for healthcare interpreters, “interpreters enter into the patient advocate...
Frequently, nurses are confronted with the task of finding the balance between advocating for the patient, and remaining loyal to their hospital or institution (Hanks, 2007). Risks that are associated with patient advocacy are more on the institutional level (Bu & Jezewski, 2007). Risks such as accusations of insubordination, reputation slander, hostile work environment, and loss of job security are among some of the top reasons nurses tend to shy away for patient advocacy (Bu & Jezewski, 2007). Another problem with advocacy is that there isn’t a universal definition as to what being an advocate means, along with inconsistency of interpretations (Bu & Jezewski,
The American Nurses Association (ANA) developed a foundation for which all nurses are expected to perform their basic duties in order to meet the needs of the society we serve. The ANA “has long been instrumental in the development of three foundational documents for professional nursing; its code of ethics, its scope and standards of practice, ands statement of social policy.” (ANA, 2010, p. 87) The ANA defined nursing as “the protection, promotion, and optimization of health and abilities, prevention of illness and injury, alleviation of suffering through the diagnosis and treatment of human response, and advocacy in the care of individuals, families, communities, and populations” and used to create the scope and standards of nursing practice. (ANA, 2010, p. 1) These “outline the steps that nurses must take to meet client healthcare needs.” () The nursing process, for example, is one of the things I use daily. Other examples include communicating and collaborating with my patient, their families, and my peers, and being a lifelong learner. I continually research new diagnoses, medications, and treatments for my patients. As a nurse of ...
Patient-centered care recognizes the patient or designee as the source of control and full partner in
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Meeting the needs and what is best for the patient which is the outcome of the care, building
we support our clients right to make their own decisions and secure their healthcare rights. Also informing them about the “speakup “ campaign in cases where they are being cared for in an unsafe manner. “Doing for” involves the nurse’s responsibility to do for the patients, what they would normally do for themselves but cannot do it at that time due to limited ability; either because they are in pain or disabled in any way as a result of their present illness, accident, or similar situations that results to, or is related to, activity impairment(s). Doing this helps them physically and emotionally. Meanwhile, it is important to maintain their dignity while doing things for them because their limitations can elevate their risk of emotional and psychological problems.
McGee, Glenn and Arthur L. Caplan. "Medical Ethics." Microsoft® Encarta® 98 Encyclopedia. © 1993-1997: Microsoft Corporation. CD-ROM.
Two accreditations, the Nursing Code of Conduct, as well as Code of Ethics reinforces this testimony within their binding. A nurse’s comprehension and skills are vital forces that can contribute to the power of influence in an ethical matter, during their patient care. This authority roots from the health care team’s dependence on the nurse’s expertise and knowledge. Controversial, the role of the nurse as an advocate is not yet clearly understood to many, “autonomy is the key concept in understanding advocacy, but traditional views of individual autonomy can be argued as being outdated and misguided in nursing” (Cole, 2014). As years go by, along with new developing techniques, a nurse needs to obtain an understanding of ethical principles in order to properly use the power of autonomy (Parker, 2007). Without education and a basic understanding of ethical models, a nurse’s portrayal of autonomy may end in mortality. Put into perspective, if a nurse received discharge papers for a homeless individual with an occurring condition, that requires treatment; it is up to that nurse to decide the circumstance in which to advocate or obey the doctor’s order, knowing this individual has used up their time at the
Garrett, T. M., Baillie, H. W., & Garrett, R. M. (2010). Health care ethics: Principles and problems (5thed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.