Nurses: The Perfect Patient Advocates

stevierae · Jun 13, 2005

from medscape.com:
nurses: the perfect patient advocates
sandra m. nettina, msn, aprn, bc, anp
what nurses do
have you ever called another nurse to find a physician? we all do. it's a well-known fact that the best way to find a doctor is through a nurse! we know that another nurse will advocate for us to find a physician who practices excellent medicine as well as compassionate caring and healing. in fact, we use other nurses to help us find doctors who are more like nurses .
nurses do this not just for their friends and other nurses; nurses advocate for all patients. we take those in need under our wings, we steer them in the right direction, and sometimes we carry them every step of the way through pain, fear, and hopelessness of illness. we do this better than anybody else in the healthcare system. we do it whether we like the patient or not, whether we get a thank you or not, whether we're having a good day or not. we do it because this is who we are and what our nurturing souls naturally do.
continued:
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/503902
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we also do it because it's our job---it's our first and foremost responsibility as registered nurses. it's addressed as a responsibility in the ana code of ethics with interpretive statements, and it's addressed in most states' nurse practice acts. to not advocate on behalf of a patient--even if it means jumping the chain of command or getting right up in a nurse manager's, hospital administrator's or physician's face---is a deviation from standard of care.

sadly, too many nurses have forgotten this, or have never learned it----they expect patients to advocate for themselves, or families to advocate for them.

this is a "high horse" issue with me: no hospitalized patient should have to advocate for himself. ever.

nor should any family member or significant other ever be expected to have to advocate on behalf of their hospitalized loved one.

this is a nursing responsibility.

cursenurse · Jun 13, 2005

We also do it because it's our JOB---it's our first and foremost responsibility as Registered Nurses. It's addressed as a responsibility in the ANA Code of Ethics with Interpretive Statements, and it's addressed in most states' nurse practice acts. To NOT advocate on behalf of a patient--even if it means jumping the chain of command or getting right up in a nurse manager's, hospital administrator's or physician's face---is a deviation from standard of care.
Sadly, too many nurses have forgotten this, or have never learned it----they expect patients to advocate for themselves, or families to advocate for them.
This is a "high horse issue with me: NO HOSPITALIZED PATIENT SHOULD HAVE TO ADVOCATE FOR HIMSELF. EVER.
NOR SHOULD ANY FAMILY MEMBER OR SIGNIFICANT OTHER EVER BE EXPECTED TO HAVE TO ADVOCATE ON BEHALF OF THEIR HOSPITALIZED LOVED ONE.
THIS IS A NURSING RESPONSIBILITY.

i am so glad to hear you say this! i thought it was just me who believed in taking my responsibility as patient advocate seriously by often saying things to staff and family members that is unpopular in order to best help my pt. it often means that we do have to be confrontational. i think more nurses need to do this.