NRS430 Professional Dynamics

Week 5 Discussion

DQ1 Discuss how professional nursing organizations support the field of nursing and how they advocate for nursing practice. Explain the value professional nursing organizations have in advocacy and activism related to patient care.

DQ2 Discuss the importance of advocacy as it pertains to patient care. What is the nurse’s role in patient advocacy? Describe a situation in which you were involved with patient advocacy. Explain what the advocacy accomplished for the patient, and what the repercussions would have been if the patient would not have had an advocate.

 

MORE INFO 

The importance of advocacy in patient care

Introduction

If you have a condition or are going through a difficult time, it can be hard to know what to do. You might feel like your doctor doesn’t understand your needs and wants. Or maybe you’re not sure if an evaluation is necessary or worth the cost. In this article, we’ll talk about how advocacy can help empower patients and improve their health outcomes by helping them make decisions about their care on their own terms.

Knowing how to advocate for yourself is an important part of making the most of your healthcare.

Being an advocate for yourself can be a lot more than just asking if a procedure is necessary. It means knowing your rights and having the knowledge to use them effectively. Asking questions, finding out what you need and then speaking up are all part of being an advocate for yourself.

Being able to speak up for yourself is important because it helps ensure that you get the care that fits your needs. If no one else knows what’s best for them, then they won’t get it either because no one will step in as their voice in healthcare discussions with doctors or other medical professionals who make decisions affecting their lives every day (and often without their consent).

You don’t need to be an expert to advocate for yourself, but you do need to be informed.

The first thing you should know is that you don’t need to be an expert on your own health care. You just need to know what your rights are and how to protect them. When it comes to advocacy, there are some basic things that everyone can do:

• Know the policy of your healthcare provider; this includes knowing what they cover and what they don’t cover.

• Be familiar with any medications or other treatments that may affect your blood pressure or heart rate (such as beta blockers).

• Ask questions when something seems unclear or unclearly explained by staff members in the emergency room; this will help ensure that no one makes mistakes while treating someone else’s situation!

The importance of advocacy in patient care

Advocacy is a way to ensure that you get the best care possible. It’s about being informed, speaking up for yourself and making sure your doctor knows what’s going on in your life. Advocacy shouldn’t be about being rude or demanding, but rather respectful and firm in your approach to getting more information or changing something that isn’t right for you.

Know when to speak up and when to agree.

• Know when to speak up and when to agree.

• Don’t be afraid to ask questions and don’t be afraid of disagreeing with your doctor or nurse.

• If you feel like something is wrong with your care, don’t be afraid to speak up about it!

Sometimes you might feel like you’re fighting a battle alone, but there are many people who want you to succeed and will support you.

Sometimes you might feel like you’re fighting a battle alone, but there are many people who want you to succeed and will support you. You can find support from other patients, friends & family members and even professional organizations. There are also resources available that may be able to help with your advocacy efforts:

• Patient Advocacy Network (PAN) – A national nonprofit organization dedicated to improving access to health care for people living with chronic illness and disability by advocating on behalf of individuals with limited resources. PAN has offices across the country that provide information about what works best when it comes time for advocacy—and how other patients have successfully used their skills & knowledge base in order achieve real results!

• National Organization on Disability (NOD)– An international non-profit organization whose mission is “to eliminate discrimination against people with disabilities.” NOD provides education about issues facing those who have disabilities so we can work together toward common goals such as ensuring equal opportunities through laws passed by Congressmen/women representing each state/territory where they live; working collaboratively within communities where members live so everyone understands what needs changing; creating change within local institutions like schools or businesses where policies need adjusting; writing articles published online at nodtodaymagazine dot org which shares stories related specifically around today’s topics being discussed– all while providing detailed explanations behind why certain decisions were made during these discussions!”

Your healthcare provider should respect your wishes.

Your healthcare provider should respect your wishes. If you feel like they are not respecting your wishes, you can ask them to explain their reasoning. You can also ask for a second opinion or for a change in treatment.

If this doesn’t work, then you will need to speak with someone else about what is going on and why it is happening.

It’s not easy, but if you advocate for yourself, you’ll get the best care possible.

Advocacy is a good thing, but it’s not easy. It requires you to stand up for yourself and others in the face of adversity and push back against what you think is wrong in your health care system. You can advocate for yourself by speaking up if something isn’t right with how your doctor or hospital treats you—and even if they seem like they’re doing everything right, there may be instances where they aren’t acting correctly or making decisions that affect patient care negatively.

You can also advocate for others: friends and family members who don’t speak up about their own experiences with medical professionals; colleagues at work who feel unheard; patients who have been mistreated by doctors or hospitals in the past (or are suffering now); anyone else whose needs go ignored because no one wants to step forward as an advocate for change!

Finally—and most importantly—you can advocate for *your* community: make sure everyone knows when something needs changing so it doesn’t happen again!

Conclusion

If you’re not sure how to advocate for yourself, don’t worry. It’s very important to know what your options are. For example, if your healthcare provider doesn’t listen to you and doesn’t respect your wishes, there may be laws that protect you from these kinds of situations. If so, then it’s time to speak up and make sure they understand what you need!