NLM 102

Advocacy in nursing involves the advocating for the health, safety, and rights of the patient and other health care professionals. Also, it refers to the raising awareness and providing support to the affected ones. In nursing, advocacy focuses mainly on the client or patient care and ensures that they receive appropriate care for the better outcome of their health. Nursing self-advocacy is the ability to convey one's own needs in order to decide on the crucial components required to satisfy those needs (Kerley, 2022b).

Patient advocacy is an essential part of the nurses’ role in the hospital setting. As an advocate for the client, nurse must have the skills such as critical thinking, clinical judgment, and clinical reasoning. All these skills are required to ensure the best possible care given to the patient and effective healthcare decision making.

         There are many ways where nurses can lead advocacy for clients such as providing health education about their health condition and educate them about the treatment options so that they make their decision. Nurses should be active listener and hence they can actively listen to the patient need and concerns to advocate them. This promotes communication between patient and nurse. And nurses can collaborate with the other healthcare providers such as physician and facilitates the teamwork to make sure that they are getting quality care. Patient advocacy is an important part of the nursing practice because it promotes patient-centered care which leads to the better health outcomes and improve overall experience for the patient. Patient advocacy also make sure that the patient is being treated with respect and dignity. Advocacy let the patient take their own healthcare decisions considering the risk and outcome of their health which makes them feel that their needs has been prioritized in their own care.

         Advocacy has many advantages when it comes to patient care. This includes better communication, build trust, patient satisfaction, better decision making, better health outcomes, minimal medical errors and etc. overall, advocacy is an important aspect of the nursing profession to promote patient centered care for the quality care of the patient.

When I was a registered nurse in India, I worked in an emergency department. There was a male patient, 60-year-old, was admitted to the ER department for the second time in a month due to same complain of hypoglycemia (<3.3 mmol/L). he had history of diabetes, and he was on insulin. He was experiencing symptoms like sweating and shakiness. Patient got stable as soon the patient received the Inj. dextrose 25% and I used my critical thinking and decided to give rapid acting carbohydrate for immediate effect and the doctor prepared the discharge after that. Looking at the care plan, I realized that the patient care plan needs to be address and has to be updated to prevent the future episodes. So, I discussed with the patient’s doctor and suggest changes to their prescribed medication treatment. Then, the doctor decided to update the insulin dose. As a nurse, I gave health education to the patient and family about the sign and symptoms of hypoglycemia and how this can be prevented in future. Being a nurse, I advocate for the patient by checking the patient’s medication order and suggest the doctor to update the insulin dose. I also educated the patient about his disease condition before discharging the patient. I also collaborated with the other health care team to discuss the patient’s condition and correct the medication prescription as a team. I made sure that the patient felt heard and respect. Advocating the patient, as a nurse I helped the patient in getting the better health decisions and made sure that the patient received quality care.

         In conclusion, It is the responsibility of the nurse and the whole health care team looking after the patient to give quality care to him and make him feel heard and respect.

Situation

·      The patient is experiencing symptoms of hypoglycemia for second time in same month.

·      Blood glucose level is <3.3mmol/L.

Background

·      Patient is 60-year-old, male.

·      Patient has history of diabetes and on a continuous medication.

·      He is complaining about experiencing sweating and shakiness second time in a month.

Assessment

·      As a nurse I reviewed the patient medication order and realized that the insulin dose need to be changed to prevent future illness.

·      I provided the health education about the hypoglycemia and heard all the queried patient had regarding his health condition.

Recommendation

·      I collaborated with the other health care team such as doctor, dietician to adjust the prescribed medication order for the future management and prevention of current episodes.

Choi. (2015). Patient advocacy: the role of the nurse. Nursing Standard, 29(41), 52–58. https://doi.org/10.7748/ns.29.41.52.e9772

Dughi, P. (n.d.). The Importance of Critical Thinking in Nursing. https://www.berxi.com/resources/articles/critical-thinking-in-nursing/

Kalaitzidis, E., & Jewell, P. W. (2015). The Concept of Advocacy in Nursing. The Health Care Manager, 34(4), 308–315. https://doi.org/10.1097/hcm.0000000000000079

Lapum, J., St-Amant, O., Hughes, M., Garmaise-Yee, M., & Lee, C. (n.d.). Introduction to Communication in Nursing: Chapter 3 Interprofessional Communication in Nursing. Pressbook. Retrieved July 17, 2022, from  https://pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca/communicationnursing/part/chapter-3-interprofessional-communication/

SBAR | ASQ. (n.d.). https://asq.org/quality-resources/sbar