Nurse as Patient Advocate: Protecting Rights & Supporting Decisions - Essay Sample

Introduction

Being the advocate of the patient may be one of the most important roles of all the roles of a nurse. As the advocate of the patient, it is the responsibility of the nurse to protect the rights of the patient. When an individual is suffering from a disease, they are often likely to be unable to act as they would when well. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the nurse to support the decisions of the patient and act on their behalf and at all times, act on the best interest of the patient. There are three elements that form the basis of nursing advocacy: freedom from suffering, patient equality and preserving human dignity.

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In regards to freedom from suffering, nurses enter the nursing profession because they have the desire to help other people who may be suffering. Hence, the core value of managing suffering or that of helping to prevent suffering is an important part of that desire. Managing suffering can be achieved at the psychological, emotional or physical level (Goodman, 2012). As a result, a nurse should be available for the patient as well as the family of the patient as an advocate for their well-being to manage suffering, and if possible to prevent it.

In regards to the equality of the patient, the healthcare system has been changing rapidly in recent years in terms of technological advancement and organization. These changes bring about shifts and changes in regulations on the delivery of health services and care. However, as an advocate of the patient, the nurse must remain alert and above the fray in advocating for the patient with respect for the inherent worth, dignity, and uniqueness of every patient. This role should be unrestricted by considerations of economic or social status, the nature of the health problem, and personal attributes.

It is also the responsibility of the nurse to preserve the human dignity of the patient as an advocate. In the majority of the medical situations, the patients and their families are confronted with confusing and anxious medical situations. An experienced and calm nurse is required to help the patient in navigating this unfamiliar system as well as communicate with the doctors involved. For example, in some cases, the nurse may be required to educate the patient about some procedures and tests.

In this process, the nurse is required to be aware of how ethnicity and culture can affect the experience of the patient while also adhering to laws regarding privacy. Hence, nurses are in a unique position, one that allows them to ensure that all aspects of patient care are integrated and concerns addressed and that the patients and their families feel respected and dignified in the process.

As advised by Yolanda Smith (2019), to perform these roles, the nurse has to take the decisions of the patient seriously if the patient is competent and alert. Even if the patient refuses treatment or declines some certain procedures and medications, the nurse has to ensure that the wishes of the patient about their own health are respected. The nurse has to provide information to the patient to make an informed decision in a case where the physicians do not agree with the patient. In cases where the patient is not competent or alert, it is the role of the nurse to act on the best interest of the patient and that may require years of training and experience to perform.

References

Goodman, T. (2012). Advocacy, an Issue of Perioperative Nursing Clinics. New York: Saunders.

Smith, Y. (2019, Feb 27). Roles of a Nurse. Retrieved from News Medical: https://www.news-medical.net/health/Roles-of-a-Nurse.aspx