The Reality of Patient Advocacy in Nursing

It can mean providing information that helps ease patients' fears, helping patients navigate the medical system, and promoting improved care overall.

Patient advocacy is a hot button topic in the world of healthcare. Conversations about patient advocacy often elicit passionate responses from people who have been negatively affected by healthcare -- and from those in the healthcare system who are passionate about reform. Yet the particulars of the idea remain elusive. What is an advocate? How can you become an advocate? What supports are in place to aid your advocacy efforts? Here is a thumbnail sketch of the basics of this complex and often controversial topic.

According to Merriam Webster dictionary, an “advocate” is a “person who argues for or supports a cause or policy.” Using this definition, most nurses are already advocates for their patients. By communicating the needs, concerns, and desires of your patients, you are advocating for them. This means that advocates take many forms, from those individuals who assist patients with insurance forms to those who guide patients through the ins and outs of social services and to those who provide emotional support. Basically, an advocate is someone who attempts to help a patient receive the best care possible from the healthcare system.

Patient advocacy can become difficult when systemic inefficiencies or injustices jeopardize a patient’s ability to receive quality healthcare. Patient advocacy in nursing will mean that the needs of your patient are paramount. Advocates can find themselves in a position where they are faced with deciding between the path of least resistance, or the less-popular road that will see the patient receive the highest standard of care. Such moments are often when advocacy becomes a sensitive subject.

If you want to become involved in advocacy, it starts on your floor with your own patients. The world of healthcare can be paralyzing to patients. They may not know their rights, understand the paperwork they fill out, or comprehend the options posed to them by medical professionals. That is what advocacy is about. Be the voice for your voiceless patient - it will make a difference in their lives.

In the United States, there are advocacy groups for nearly every healthcare topic and point of interest. Whether you are passionate about a particular disease, condition, process, or situation, you can likely find an advocacy group to match. For instance, many healthcare professionals are passionate about stopping medical errors. Advocacy groups exist that champion this cause, including The American Association for Justice, Empowered Patient Coalition, and many others. These groups rely on a mix of healthcare professionals, patients with personal experience in the issue field, and volunteers in order to share their stories and bring attention to their cause.

You can also find groups that advocate for specific diseases or conditions. For instance, not-for-profit charities like breast cancer awareness groups also fall under the advocacy group umbrella. These groups seek to share the people’s stories, raise funds for research and development, encourage healthcare advances and awareness, and promote preventative treatment and early detection, among others.

Your ability to be an advocate is predicated on how much time and energy you desire to expend. You can work with a group, lead educational seminars on medical insurance, teach methods of early detection for common diseases, or simply commit yourself to speaking up for each patient that is assigned to you. Advocacy has many avenues for those who are willing to take them.

Travel nurses are in a unique position to observe how various healthcare organizations approach patient advocacy. Many healthcare providers are increasing their focus on creating a culture that is conducive to patient advocacy. Individuals at every stage of the of the healthcare process -- patients, families, physicians, nurses, management and advocacy groups – are encouraged to collaborate to ensure the best possible outcomes for patients.

While organizations approach patient advocacy in a variety of ways, there are always those experienced RNs who seem to be naturally successful in this area. A study published in the Journal of Nursing Scholarship detailed how US Army nurses described learning advocacy practices by watching other nurses interact with patients. Whether you are a staff nurse or a traveler, keeping an eye out for advocacy mentors can build confidence in becoming a effective patient advocate yourself.