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1 postsRe: Topic 5 DQ 2

An advocate is nay individual who is maybe a supporter, partner, friend, confidante, cheerleader and more (University of Texas Airlington, 2020). It is important to note that nurses dispense all of the above mentioned roles. In some instances, it is even for a single patient. Therefore, advocacy is very central to the roles which nurses play. Nurses interact with patients as more than health care providers and professionals (University of Texas Airlington, 2020). Nurses are therefore in a better position to serve as patient advocates. This is especially because the nurses code of ethics of the American Nurses Association which deals with the issue of patient advocacy in nursing stipulates that nurses must be involved in patient advocacy.

Nursing advocacy involves supporting patients in many different ways. For instance, nurses must ensure that there is health care equality for all patients (Matthews, 2017). Part of advocacy, is nurses caring for patients with compassion and utter respect for their inherent dignity despite of their social, economic status or personal attributes (University of Texas Airlington, 2020). As a patient’s advocate, a nurse must also ensure to alleviate the patients suffering. This can be done by administering proper medication not ease the pain. Additionally, in instances where nurse come across polices that infringe on a patient right, they should be on the frontline to ensure that the policy is either amended or does not affect the treatment that a patient receives (University of Texas Airlington, 2020). I have been involved in patient advocacy in several instances. The most recent one involved standing up for a patient wo I felt was getting a raw deal from the hospital.

References

Matthews, J. H. (2017). Role of professioanl organisations in advocating for the nursing profession. The Online Journal of Nursing, 897-899.

University of Texas Airlington. (2020). Importance of patient advocacy in nursing. University of Texas Airlington Journal, 23-37.

Respond to the student posing using 200 to 300 words APA format by supporting the post in discussion