DQ: Discuss the importance of advocacy as it pertains to patient care NRS 430 Topic 5 DQ 1

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.