DQ: Discuss the importance of advocacy as it pertains to patient care
NRS 430 Topic 5 DQ 1
Advocacy as it pertains to patient care is a very big part of what being a nurse is. Advocacy for patients is deeply rooted in the nursing profession and a lot of what we do revolves around just that, advocating for our patients. When nurses advocate for themselves within the profession they are in turn advocating for their patients, every type of advocacy that nurses do ultimately falls back to one principle, what is safe for the patient. It is important that nurses work together, across employment settings and roles, to advocate on behalf of colleagues and the profession. Nurses comprise the largest professional group within health care and have been recognized by the public as the most trusted profession (Tomajan, 2012). Advocacy for patient care is important because it keeps the safety of our patients at first hand. As the world changes around us and the health care environment continues to change and evolve, the profession of nursing must mold to what is safest for our patients and that always finds a foundation in patient advocacy. This is where first hand nursing experience with patients comes in, nurses can use their voice and experience to let policy makers know what is working or not working, and even so become the policy makers if they wish.
Advocacy starts with good communication between nurse and patient and continues on to good communication between nurse and other disciplines in the health care system. When nurses advocate for patients, stand up for patients’ rights, or work to meet their need for care, that nurse is actively assuming the role of patient advocate (Helbig 2018). When working in the Emergency Department I came across a situation where I found myself actively being the patients advocate at time of discharge. I was caring for an elderly patient who was living in a senior care assisted living center that had come to see us in the ED for a broken wrist from a fall. As I assessed the patient and the time with the patient went on it became apparent after assessment that the patient was suffering from elder abuse. The doctor cleared the patients medically and was ready to discharge the patient back to the same senior care home with a splinted broken wrist with orders to follow up with and orthopedist as soon as possible. As the nurse I advocated for this patient by reporting the elder abuse as well as collaborating with the social worker and the patients family to seek out a new assisted living care home for this patient to go to. Overall through my thorough assessment I was able to learn about possible elder abuse of this patient, report it to the proper authorities as a mandatory reporter and seek better care on behalf of my patient. If I was not a diligent nurse in this patient advocacy situation this patient could have ended up right back where they were and in harms way, also if I did not report this, unreported abuse could be potentially happening to many more elder people at this assisted living care home. As nurses we must always advocate for our patients and continue to be mandatory reporters in order to protect our patients.
DQ: Discuss the importance of advocacy as it pertains to patient care
You make a great point about how patient advocacy starts with communication between the nurse and patient. It also continues with the nurse and doctor while the care plan is being discussed (Helbig, 2018). Out of the whole health care team, nurses spend the most time with the patients and in my opinion, understands and values patient’s desires and needs. Also, wow you are an amazing nurse for saving that patient from elder abuse! It is so unfortunate how common elder abuse really is. You made such an impact on that patient’s life, great example of advocacy!
This is insightful. In nursing practice, advocacy involves promoting or respecting human dignity, enhancing patient equality in the course of healthcare delivery and providing freedom from suffering (Abbasinia et al., 2020). Advocacy is part and parcel of healthcare delivery processes. The whole process involves the provision of guidelines that govern different nursing practices. There are different cases or examples of nursing advocacy. For instance, lending patients’ ears and providing additional information to enhance healthcare delivery processes are examples of nurse advocacy (Liz, 2019). Nurse’s play significant roles in nursing advocacy; they always develop policies and guidelines that are useful in ensuring effective patient’s outcomes in the treatment process. With their expertise and experiences, nurses are able to establish different practices that ensure quality treatment processes. However, there are barriers associated with nurse advocacy; for instance, some nurses receive little or no support from the management of administrators and other healthcare professionals (Rosa et al., 2019). Through nursing advocacy, healthcare professionals have been able to achieve quality healthcare practices.
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The elderly is such a vulnerable population from many perspectives-physical abuse, mental abuse, abuse of financial funds, etc. Thank you for advocating for this patient. I once had to report a nurse to the BON because she was taking money from an elderly patient.
Great job Cassidy! I am glad that you were able to identify and help your patient avoid further abuse. I worked in a convalescent home right out of nursing school and my patients became my family. I would have been devastated to learn that on of my residents were being abused or harmed. The elderly are just as important to our community as any other age and should be treated with the same dignity, respect and standard of care as anyone else. Acting as an advocate for the older population can help improve their overall health and quality of life (DailyCaring, 2021).
DailyCaring. (2021). Why Seniors Need a Health Advocate: 7 Health Benefits. https://dailycaring.com/what-is-a-health-advocate-and-why-do-seniors-need-one/
DQ: Discuss the importance of advocacy as it pertains to patient care
What is patient advocacy? And what does it mean in how nurses care for patients? Knippa, et. al., describes patient advocacy as a way “to speak up for a patient who does not have a voice, but an even better form of advocacy is to empower the patient’s own voice” (2021). By actually listening to our patients and then following through, the patient is actually a part of their own healthcare and may feel a sense of inclusion in their care as opposed to just having things happen “to” them.
The healthcare team is not made up just of nurses, physicians, pharmacists, and other disciplines but it must also include the patient or the patient’s family. Many times during a hospital stay, a patient’s family or loved ones may observe changes in the patient that the staff is not immediately aware of. “It is therefore essential to put patients at the centre so we can improve their care and act as their advocate” (Lindsay, 2018). One of the many nurse roles is to be a voice for our patients and by being that voice we place our patients as the main focus. Lindsay also tells us that “the patient’s voice needs to be heard at every stage of their experience if meaningful care pathways are to be created” (2018). That stage of advocacy may even be before the patient steps in to the hospital! At the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, the hospital made the decision that patient’s could not have a visitor during their hospital stay. I was able to advocate for our surgery patients before they even came in for their surgeries by discussing the harm that could come to surgery patients just waking up from sedation if they do NOT have a family member or friend present. Not only would the surgeon not be able to discuss the procedure or address any potential concerns with the person the patient was going home with after surgery (the patient would not remember any instruction after anesthesia) but the increase in the patients fall risk status would also rise dramatically! Many times patients waking up from anesthesia, whether it be from general anesthesia or moderate sedation, do not heed instructions or simply forget. I advised the Risk Manager and Chief Nursing Officer my concern for patient safety and the policy was immediately amended to allow surgery patients to have a visitor at the bedside.
DQ: Discuss the importance of advocacy as it pertains to patient care
Professional nursing organizations are dedicated to improving nursing practice through education, advocacy, and leadership. Nursing organizations support nursing by promoting professional development in nursing. They provide opportunities for nurses to advance their education to improve their competence in practice (Helbig, 2018). They also support nursing through advocacy. They advocate for nurses’ and patients’ well-being in clinical settings. In addition, nursing organizations promote nursing leadership to increase nurses’ influence in healthcare delivery. They also provide opportunities for nurses to network and collaborate with other healthcare providers to improve healthcare delivery. Professional nursing organizations play crucial roles in advocating for nursing practice. First, they work with policymakers to propose and implement policies that improve nursing practice and patient care (American Nurses Association, 2023). They also advocate for the rights of nurses. Since nurses are their members, they ensure they work under good working conditions in safe environments. Furthermore, professional organizations educate the public and healthcare administrators about nursing practice.
Besides advocating for nurses, professional nursing organizations also advocate for patients to ensure they receive quality and safe care. These organizations also address issues affecting patients in healthcare settings. They propose solutions to healthcare problems to improve the quality and safety of care. Nursing organizations advocate for healthcare policies to improve patient care (American Nurses Association, 2023). They propose and spearhead the implementation of healthcare policies that enable patients to access quality and affordable healthcare services. Nursing organizations also work with healthcare leaders, providers, and communities to improve healthcare delivery (Turale & Kunaviktikul, 2019). In addition, nursing organizations prepare nurses to provide quality patient care. They connect nurses to professional development opportunities to enable them to enhance their clinical knowledge and skills so that they can deliver quality services. They also inform nurses and keep them updated with current healthcare practices to enable them to meet patients’ needs.
References
American Nurses Association. (2023). Role of professional organizations in advocating for the nursing profession. https://ojin.nursingworld.org/table-of-contents/volume-17-2012/number-1-january-2012/professional-organizations-and-advocating2/#:~:text=Unity%20in%20advocacy.,and%20professionals%20on%20specific%20issues.
Helbig, J. (2018). Professional engagement. In Grand Canyon University (Eds.), Dynamics in nursing: Art & science of professional practice (1st ed.). https://lc.gcumedia.com/nrs430v/dynamics-in-nursing-art-and-science-of-professional-practice/v1.1/#/chapter/5
Turale, S., & Kunaviktikul, W. (2019). The contribution of nurses to health policy and advocacy requires leaders to provide training and mentorship. International Nursing Review, 66(3), 302-304. https://doi.org/10.1111/inr.12550
The act of mingling with others in order to share knowledge and establish business or social connections is known as networking. For nurses to network, exchange ideas, and work together on initiatives, ANA develops forums. Nurses can develop their professional networks, exchange best practices, and learn from one other’s experiences through these encounters. The nursing community benefits from networking by having more mentorship and leadership opportunities. In order for members to communicate with one another and the general public, the American Nurses Association is in charge of developing health networks. In order to reach a shared objective of a healthy global population, the organization collaborates with other associations. (Dean, 2018). ANA has given the go-ahead for nurses to use social media to communicate with one another, the public, and establish social relationships. Social media usage is governed by ANA standards that control the data nurses publish online. The linkages that nurses can use to communicate with the general public and among themselves include the WhatsApp platforms, Facebook, and Twitter. Radio and television frequencies are available options that apply to this subject. The official ANA website is another networking tool for nurses. The association also plans customary gatherings where members and representatives of other organizations can interact.
REFERENCE.
Dean, J. (2018). Dynamics in Nursing: Art and Science of Professional Practice Grand Canyon University (Ed.). (2022). Dynamics in nursing: Art and science of professional practice (2nd ed.).