Title: Examples of Patient Advocacy in Nursing: Helping Voices
Headings: Helping Hands, Helping Voices: Examples of Patient Advocacy in Nursing
Helping Hands, Helping Voices: Examples of Patient Advocacy in Nursing
Patient Advocacy Defined
Common Types of Advocacy
Advocacy with the Medical Facility
Advocacy with the Legal System
Advocacy with Families
The Ethics of Patient Advocacy in Nursing
Key Skills for Nurse Advocacy
Become a Nurse Advocate for Patients
Recommended Readings
Sources

Content: Assess the results of their advocacy, taking into account the satisfaction of the patient, family, and team. Common Types of Advocacy
Examples of patient advocacy in nursing include: Advocacy with the Medical Facility
Nurses can act as mediators between patients and doctors who may have overlooked certain patient needs or solutions. For example, if a patient receives an inaccurate diagnosis, unsafe accommodation, or unclear instructions for self-care, the nurse must alert the doctor or medical facility and communicate the issue. Advocacy with the Legal System
Nurses can advocate for better treatment, legal options, and payment solutions for a patient if they believe that patient is being offered unfair options. They may also propose changes to an established medical process or for an entire group of patients. Advocacy with Families
Beyond their one-on-one work with patients, nurses can extend their advocacy efforts to forge connections to the patient’s family. For example, if controlling family members are making harmful decisions on behalf of the patient, the nurse has a responsibility to intervene. The Ethics of Patient Advocacy in Nursing
Ethics is an integral part of building strong advocacy strategies. According to a 2017 paper in Nursing Management, ethics is “the study of moral values and principles of humanitarian duty as they relate to a set of rules that a group or society follows.”