Patient Advocacy Paper

Nursing is defined as the promotion, protection and the prevention of illness and Injury, the treatment of a patient’s disease or diseases, the patient’s response to a disease, as well as one big thing that nurses are known for, and that is being a patient’s advocate nursing has been one of the fastest growing fields since the 1990’s (Mueller et al.,2012). Advocacy is defined as an action in which a person speaks out, argues a cause, supports and defends on the behalf of others. I believe that the role of being a patient advocate is one of the most important things a nurse can do because there are many patients that cannot speak on their behalf, I believe that it is up to the nurses to be those patients as well as all patient’s voices (Mueller et al., 2012).

The healthcare industry has intensely advanced throughout the world, in turn changing the principles that incorporate the practice and culture of nursing practice. Altering the model of care to a patient-centered mode signifies an organizational culture shift and requires the participation of executives at the senior level (Cliff, 2012). To practice this care to provide the best care possible, it goes beyond the nurse to all healthcare professionals and senior leadership. The days of patients and nurses following a physician’s order without favor to care has now loaned themselves to more of an interdisciplinary approach to practice. Though, it is encouraged that the patient makes decisions for themselves, after receiving the proper education and information on their condition. Part of the patient-centered care is to be the patients’ advocate, by letting them know you are there for them when they are unable to speak and advocate for themselves and what is in their best interest. That goes in hand with educating them on “self-management of care, health literacy, patient, and family education through nurse-patient communication and interaction (Finkelman & Kenner, 2016, p. 271).”

The concept of patient advocacy was the focus of the article entitled, “Developing a mid –range theory of patient advocacy through concept analysis” by Xiaoyan Bu and Mary Ann Jezewski published in the Journal of Advanced Nursing 2007. In an attempt to clarify the definition as well as the refine the concept of patient advocacy, the authors synthesized advocacy in nursing literature and sought with this information to establish a theoretical basis for future studies on patient

The Tennessee Nurses Association has a goal to enhance nurse advocacy. For a nurse to practice advocacy for patients, one must understand the importance. Research had to be done to determine what the nurses were expected to advocate for their patients. Choi, Pin-Pin, and Mei-che Pang (2014) conducted a study to discover how the nurses integrate the advocacy. Choi, Pin-pin, Cheung, and Mei-che Pang’s discovered that nurses are a huge part of recognizing safety concerns and health changes for patients throughout their hospital stay (Para. 5).

Health care has been inclined by several significant events that have occurred throughout history. Change is the primary focus on what has shaped health care and continues to by pain of improvement, and to focus on the importance of our population and their needs. Though there are several influences politics, finance, culture, technology, health trends, and religions they all play a major contribution towards shaping the healthcare field. (Shi & Singh, 2012) Throughout this paper we will present significant events that have changed and affected health care today, give details about how the historical evolution of health care

Analyze the impact of nurse advocacy for a specific health issue in your state where the advocacy actions by nurses made a difference. Be sure to clearly identify the health issue in your discussion.

The business operation I am going to discuss is patient advocacy. Patient advocacy is an effort to protect and/or defend patients; taken on by individuals, organizations, or groups. Therefore, advocacy is standing for or with a patient that have particular challenges or health concerns. Patient advocacy may include educating the patient and family, affecting public policies, and joining associations. Professional patient advocates heave often worked as social workers, case managers, nurses, or other professions that now focus on helping patient in their decisions making. Patient advocates works in partnership with patient educators, dietitians, psychologists, pharmacist, and community health workers.

Advocacy is a crucial role for nurses, however, its extent is often limited in practice. Powerlessness,

The purpose of this concept analysis is to clarify, define, and refine how patient advocacy is perceived in the nursing community. Much of the literature has attempted to define patient advocacy and emphasis its role within the nursing profession. This paper will discuss multiple definitions of patient advocacy from existing literature and refine them into two critical characteristics.

I believe that the role of an advocate is a vital component within the nursing profession. Nurses that are willing to fulfill the responsibility of being an advocate can not only help to improve their patient outcomes, but also promote nursing as a profession. As a student nurse, I realize that being willing to be a true advocate for my patients will not always come easy and will be a role that I will continue to develop throughout my entire career as a nurse. A research study conducted by Kerri Kelland et al. revealed that there are eight essential attributes that are crucial for success when assuming the role of a patient advocate. These eight attributes include perseverance, humility, communication, collaboration, scholarly practice, management, professionalism, and passion ( Kelland et al. 2014, 79). The study also found that in order for nurses

In a profession where others' health and well-being are priority, there leaves room for neglect of those who are delegated to care for these people. As a professional nurse, there are many obstacles that arise and affect the care provided to a patient, as well as the livelihood of the nurse. The current deteriorating and unsafe staffing conditions in hospitals and other institutions prompts workplace advocacy as the universally appropriate concept for maintaining professional nursing practice. The Arkansas Nurses Association and the Louisiana State Nurses Association define workplace advocacy as a planned, organized system of services and resources designed to support the professional nurse in the workplace (White Paper on

When it comes to patient care, nurses play a critical role in the health care system that is simply just not replaceable. As Maya Angelou says, “they may forget your name, but they will never forget how you made them feel.” Nurses interact so closely with patients every day and spend the most time with them and their families. But nursing not only involves delivering care, it also involves patient advocacy. Demonstrating advocacy in nursing practice is necessary for providing effective care because it allows for development of a strong nurse-patient interpersonal relationship, which is needed to support the patient and promote healing. Nurses can demonstrate advocacy to help enhance this relationship by helping protect patient privacy, speaking

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

I would demonstrate patient advocacy for someone that could not mentally or physically advocate for themselves by listen to the patient views and concerns, and help the patient explore their options and rights. Also, I will give the patient to help make informed decisions, and help the patient contact relevant people, or contact them on their behalf. I will accompany and support the patient in meeting or appointments.

Political activism is an important complement for nurses in the clinical practice. Nurses are in an exceptional position not only to provide quality bed side care to their patients but also to advocate for change within the community and political field. Common problem affecting a group of people can be a political issue. Identifying the cause of this issue and advocating to solve the root cause with the help of decision makers like politicians, hospital executives, managers or government bureaucrats, nurses can bring beneficial changes in Canadian Health care system.