Patient Advocacy
Patient Advocacy: How it affects the delivery of patient care
Geneva Heath
NR 451: Capstone Course
Melanie Gawlik
July 7, 2011
Introduction There tends to be a major direct affect that patient advocacy has on the delivery of health care. For a patient to be able to address their health care needs, their rights to health care, and making sure that they are being treated fairly are important issues and it only seems right for these patient 's to have a voice other than their own in order to gain autonomy. Having an advocate for them when there is no family and the patient themselves do not fully understand what is involved when it comes to their health and health care needs. Mahlin from Michigan State University, legally defines a patient advocate as someone who defends the patient against infringements of their rights. She also explains, that even though there are many definitions and concepts as to what a patient advocate should be, it is safe to say that no matter the definition the goal is patient focused (M. Mahlin, 2010). It 's not easy being a patient advocate, but it is a vital part of gaining a patients ' trust and it enables the healthcare provider to gain access to a patients ' needs as well as giving the patient a sense of control when it comes to their health care decisions. Being a patient advocate is frowned upon in many medical facilities because it holds them accountable for their actions as well as the care provided in that facility. Patient advocacy gives patients autonomy and independence in the decision making process (Mahlin, 2010). According to research, nurses are considered the best patient advocates due to their resources and knowledge of healthcare needs, and their oath to provide healthcare that is in the best interest of the patient, not to mention a nurses caring nature (Houser, 2008). When nurses take on the role of a patient advocate, they are actually taking a stand for what they know is right versus what is
Geneva Heath
NR 451: Capstone Course
Melanie Gawlik
July 7, 2011
Introduction There tends to be a major direct affect that patient advocacy has on the delivery of health care. For a patient to be able to address their health care needs, their rights to health care, and making sure that they are being treated fairly are important issues and it only seems right for these patient 's to have a voice other than their own in order to gain autonomy. Having an advocate for them when there is no family and the patient themselves do not fully understand what is involved when it comes to their health and health care needs. Mahlin from Michigan State University, legally defines a patient advocate as someone who defends the patient against infringements of their rights. She also explains, that even though there are many definitions and concepts as to what a patient advocate should be, it is safe to say that no matter the definition the goal is patient focused (M. Mahlin, 2010). It 's not easy being a patient advocate, but it is a vital part of gaining a patients ' trust and it enables the healthcare provider to gain access to a patients ' needs as well as giving the patient a sense of control when it comes to their health care decisions. Being a patient advocate is frowned upon in many medical facilities because it holds them accountable for their actions as well as the care provided in that facility. Patient advocacy gives patients autonomy and independence in the decision making process (Mahlin, 2010). According to research, nurses are considered the best patient advocates due to their resources and knowledge of healthcare needs, and their oath to provide healthcare that is in the best interest of the patient, not to mention a nurses caring nature (Houser, 2008). When nurses take on the role of a patient advocate, they are actually taking a stand for what they know is right versus what is
References: Mahlin, M. (2010). Individual patient advocacy, collective responsibility and activism within professional nursing associations. Michigan State University. Nursing ethics. Houser, J. (2008). The Importance of Research as Evidence in Nursing. Nursing Research: Reading, Using, and Creating Evidence. Chapter 1, pp. 18-19