The Nurses Role in Patient Advocacy
Caring originates in the relationships of shared human experience. The nurses primary roles of promoting health, preventing illness, restoring health and alleviating suffering places the nurse in a position to always remain an advocate for their patient. A scenario has been created in which a terminally ill patient has asked the doctor about alternative healthcare treatment options. The doctor in this case dismisses them as "quack" practices. What role does the nurse play in this situation? “When the patient’s wishes are in conflict with others, the nurse seeks to help resolve the conflict. Where conflict persists, the nurse’s commitment remains to the identified patient” (Code of ethics for nurses with interpretive statements, 2001). Moral courage is something that helps the nurse to address ethical issues and take action when doing the right thing is not always easy. When a patient and doctor relationship is strained the nurse can sometimes help mediate a situation while always remembering her legal and ethical obligations.
Physicians and nurses have different roles and duties in the hospital. Although nurses do not have the power to make certain types of care decisions, they do have the responsibility to follow the chain of command according to facility policy, until satisfied that good decisions are being made for their patients. Nurses spend more one on one time with their patients than doctors. The closeness of this relationship may make it easier for some patients to disclose their complaints to the nurse rather than the doctor (Ofri, 2013). Nurse’s responsibilities are to provide the best care to the patients and to insure that all of their rights and interests are met. “Once healthcare interventions have been adapted to meet the special needs of the patient, the nurse’s role is to articulate the patient’s request for care within the multidisciplinary team, creating patient-centered patterns of health care” (Hewitt, 2002).
As a patient advocate,
Physicians and nurses have different roles and duties in the hospital. Although nurses do not have the power to make certain types of care decisions, they do have the responsibility to follow the chain of command according to facility policy, until satisfied that good decisions are being made for their patients. Nurses spend more one on one time with their patients than doctors. The closeness of this relationship may make it easier for some patients to disclose their complaints to the nurse rather than the doctor (Ofri, 2013). Nurse’s responsibilities are to provide the best care to the patients and to insure that all of their rights and interests are met. “Once healthcare interventions have been adapted to meet the special needs of the patient, the nurse’s role is to articulate the patient’s request for care within the multidisciplinary team, creating patient-centered patterns of health care” (Hewitt, 2002).
As a patient advocate,
References: Code of ethics for nurses with interpretive statements. (2001). The Kansas Nurse. Complementary and alternative medicine in cancer treatment. (2013). National Cancer Institute. Curlin, F., Lawrence, R., Chin, M., & Lantos, J. (2009). Religion, conscience, and controversial clinical practices Dubler, N. (1992). Individual advocacy as a governing principle. Journal of Case Management, 13, 82-86 Finn, T. (2013). Nurse advocacy helps improve patient outcomes, cuts readmissions — humanizes standardization efforts Ofri, D. (2013). The doctor will see your electronic medical record now. The Citizen 's Guide to the Future