Nursing World Conferences 2019

Leadership Message

Patient advocacy in nursing

With the ever changing, uncertain healthcare system, nurses must remain diligent as advocates for patients and families. Advocacy is not a new role in nursing. Since the early development of the nursing profession, Florence Nightingale incorporated the role of advocating for both patients and nurses. Throughout her career she advocated for optimal care and a safe work environment while confronted by multiple obstacles. Understanding what advocacy is, the role in nursing and key strategies are critical to ensuring optimal patient outcomes.

What is advocacy?

An “Advocate” is defined as one that pleads the cause of another or one that supports or promotes the interest of another. The Code of Ethics set forth by the American Nurses Association (ANA) outlines the ethical obligations of all registered nurses regarding patient advocacy. The Code of Ethics states, the nurse promotes, advocates for and protects the rights, health, and safety of the patient.

Role in nursing

Patient advocacy is a key role within nursing and is an ethical obligation, which goes beyond the basic definition of advocate. Nurses are frequently in the forefront in matters of patient advocacy. There are several issues the nurse must advocate for which include, promoting access to quality evidence-based care for all patients, regardless of age, ethnicity, socioeconomic class or personal attributes. In addition, advocating for patient safety across the continuum is critical in the current fragmented healthcare system. Patients are often seen by multiple healthcare providers and through communication and coordination of care, nurses can facilitate patient safety. Nurses must also inform and educate patients and families regarding their diagnosis, care and treatment in a manner that is meaningful. Sharing of information allows the patient to make informed decisions regarding their care. Finally, advocacy is supporting patients and families in their care decisions. Patients maintain the right of self-determination and only they can say what is best for them. This requires the nurse to support patients in an objective manner. Support may be in the form of speaking on behalf of the patient and/or facilitating communication with other professions and the healthcare system.

Barriers to patient advocacy may exist and can vary from individual to organizational, and beyond. There is no single solution to address patient barriers. However, nurses must seek to resolve the barriers when possible to promote optimal outcomes.

Advocacy strategies

Several strategies may be incorporated to facilitate patient advocacy as follows:

• 1.Maintain a patient-centered focus
• 2.Establish a therapeutic relationship with the patient and/or family
• 3.Clearly identify and understand the issue
• 4.Encourage patient self advocacy
• 5.Foster interaction and collaboration with the patient, family and other team members
• 6.Maintain effective communication
• 7.Identify organizational leaders who can facilitate resolution
• 8.Be familiar with the bureaucracy of the organization and/or healthcare system, and question ineffective policies
• 9.Pursue professional development on patient advocacy
• 10.Become actively involved in professional nursing organizations to advocate for patient care issues

Summary

Nurses are in a key position to observe both the positives and negatives of the current healthcare system and recognize the shortcomings. As a patient advocate, nurses have the opportunity to make a significant difference in the lives of patients and their families every day. Similar to Nightingale, all nurses must uphold the idea that safe, quality, evidence-based patient care is a basic human right that all patients should receive.

Nursing World Conferences 2019
https://nursingcongress.nursingconference.com/registration.php