The Importance Of Advocacy As It Pertains To Patient Care

The Role of Advocacy in Patient Care
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The Role of Advocacy in Patient Care
Nurses are the backbone of any health delivery system through their many responsibilities that range from decision-making to the actual provision of care to their patients. They spend the most time with their patients than the other members of the multidisciplinary team thus are more aware of their needs (Olin, 2012). They also get to experience the limitations in the health delivery system. This puts them in the best position to identify the needs of the patient as well as their safety concerns. Therefore, nurses are the link between the patients and the healthcare system which makes them the best advocates (Wood, 2019). Patient advocacy is an essential aspect of healthcare delivery as it promotes patient safety, human dignity, autonomy, and evidenced-based practices, which lead to better patient outcomes.
An advocate is a person who pleads and acts to protect the rights of their clients. Davoodvand, Abbaszadeh, & Ahmadi (2016) hold that nurses should act as advocates by “being a patient representative, defending the patient’s rights and universal rights, protecting their interests, contributing to decision-making and speaking for the vulnerable.” Therefore, advocacy is protective of the patient as it safeguards the right to receive quality care. It helps in the alleviation of suffering and promotes human dignity by ensuring that health providers respect the autonomy of the patien...