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importance-of-patient-advocacy-in-nursing
18 JANUARY 2023

Importance Of Patient Advocacy In Nursing

Patients entrust nurses with their lives. Although nurses have several duties, one of them is to safeguard their patients from injury that is unrelated to their medical condition. As a result, nurses ought to be patient advocates. Nurses are given the skills necessary to protect their patients in a Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN to BSN) degree program.

Alongside other skills that nurses need to be classified as a thorough professional, such as compassion, empathy, honesty, dedication and more. A nurse needs to be an advocate of patients. They should be able to fight for their patients to ensure that they get the best care.

A Patient Advocate: What Is One?

Regardless of their specialty, nurses are all patient advocates. The steps nurses take to uphold the rights of the people they are caring for are known as patient advocacy. Most essential, nurses never instruct patients. Instead, they give patients information to enable them to make informed healthcare decisions. In order to support their patients, nurses can do the following:

  • Serve as a point of contact for patients and other healthcare professionals.
  • When the patient's right to high-quality care is violated, a nurse needs to stand up for them.
  • Speak for patients who are hesitant to express their concerns or ask questions.
  • Help patients choose the best course of treatment.
  • Participate in the creation or revision of policy to enhance patient care.

Why Are Patient Advocates Needed?

Navigating the healthcare system is challenging, patients need champions. Patients who are ill or disabled could also be too weak or helpless to express their needs or wants. Therefore, nurses may need to work with families to protect the interests of their patients.

What Qualities Make Nurses Effective Advocates?

The ability to effectively advocate for patients is a must for nurses. They can be required to translate medical jargon, explain testing and procedures, or deal with moral dilemmas. Conflicts do sometimes happen. Sometimes patients, families, and doctors will disagree on the best course of action. To make sure that the patient's desires are carried out in certain circumstances, nurses may need to organize a conversation between all parties. Nurses need to have the following abilities in order to represent patients:

Communication: Transmit information with sensitivity and honesty.

Collaboration: Sharing perspectives and working well with others.

Critical Thinking: Make a clear, logical relationship between ideas via critical thinking.

Conflict Resolution: Consider a methodical, logical approach when trying to solve a problem.

What Nursing Advocacy Preparation is Offered by an RN to BSN Program?

A nurse can get ready for all facets of nursing practice with an online RN to BSN program. Students are introduced to the concepts and theories of nursing theories, processes, and practice roles through real-world applications. Students learn about nursing ethics and how to make morally righteous decisions. Additionally, the principles of management and leadership in a range of healthcare contexts are taught to students.

The practice of advocacy is crucial to nursing. Because they deal with patients on a daily basis, nurses make the best patient advocates. They are aware of when patients are irate and perplexed regarding their care regimen. Patients look to nurses for guidance and education regarding their healthcare options in addition to care. Nurses are in a position to help patients make educated decisions about the best course of action for obtaining a successful outcome by being compassionate and honest with them.