Advocacy in nursing
What types of advocacy exist for nurses today?
Nurses act as advocates for children, patients, and their own rights. They play a big role in the nursing profession in empowering the communities and addressing environmental issues (Sattler & Lipscomb, 2003). Types of advocacy are;
- Case advocacy
This type of advocacy is also known as patient advocacy since nurses advocate for individual patients to ensure that their needs are met. Nurses act as a patient representative and ensure that patient's voice is heard, and their rights are not violated (Sattler & Lipscomb, 2003). For example, nurses can raise issues concerning inaccurate diagnosis, unclear instructions, poor decisions from the family, and the need for better treatment. Case advocacy promotes effective nursing practices since nurses are interested in patients' justice (Sattler & Lipscomb, 2003). Case advocacy also increases trust and respect since the community recognizes that nursing has appropriate performance and they are improving the quality of care.
- Class advocacy
Class advocacy involves taking actions on behalf of the populations. For example, the populations are affected socially and economically (Sattler & Lipscomb, 2003). In class advocacy, nurses act as advocates in making policies aimed to improve the social conditions. Populations may be suffering from poverty and poor health due to injustice and inequalities. Nurses are concerned with the well-being of the disadvantaged populations and they recommend health policies and programs that aim at creating healthier communities.
How advocacy can be demonstrated in everyday practice.
Advocacy can be demonstrated through the following practices;
- Create a healthy work environment; Nurses and managers should have a positive communication system that promotes a collaborative environment. Effective communication and collaboration will increase trust and respect and nurses will ensure efficiency and efficacy (Sattler & Lipscomb, 2003). In nursing practices, nurses should be advocates for patients by ensuring safety in providing care and after discharge.
- Connecting the community to resources; Nurses can demonstrate advocacy in helping the patient as well as the community access the resources for quality care such as financial assistance, support network, and other needs (Sattler & Lipscomb, 2003). The community may also face injustice issues and nurses should demonstrate advocacy by working with the community to identify the problem and hence provide community development and empowerment.
- Mediation; another way nurses can demonstrate advocacy is through mediation or working with the community and the opposing party to facilitate resolution (Sattler & Lipscomb, 2003). In such a scenario, the nurse many propose reasonable solutions to end the differences.
- Expert testimony; this is a practice to demonstrate advocacy in that nurses can give ideas and opinions concerning their areas of practice (Sattler & Lipscomb, 2003). They may present records about environmental exposure and provide knowledge and experience to achieve solutions and justice.
- Political astuteness; nurses can demonstrate advocacy by engaging in political practices such as being part of the political campaigns (Sattler & Lipscomb, 2003). The nurse will get the opportunity to express the issues facing the community such as unemployment, insecurity, violation of rights, and influence the political leaders in recognizing individual rights.
Three factors that make up the definition of advocacy are; equality, change in system and practices, and quality care (Sattler & Lipscomb, 2003).
- A healthcare advocacy group known as Healthcare-Now has demonstrated that it is an advocate for patients' equality by fighting for a single-payer healthcare system. This means that the organization wants the patients to receive comprehensive coverage and the government should be responsible for coverage (START Study Guide, 2020). The organization promotes equality by ensuring that all Americans are insured and can access health care services.
- Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) has demonstrated the advocacy role in changing the system and practice. The non-profit organization is concerned with the nurses' practice and proposes changes in practices and research (START Study Guide, 2020). For example, nurses should educate patients on the importance of taking care of their health, and the importance of using effective scientific methods rather than using animals.
- Families USA demonstrates the role of advocacy for high-quality care through comprehensive coverage, preventive services, disease management program, health information technology, and drug cost reduction.
Reference
Sattler, B., & Lipscomb, J. (2003). Environmental health and nursing practice. New York: Springer.
START Study Guide. (2020). Health Advocacy Organizations. http://www.startguide.org/orgs/orgs07.html#cat1
