Example 1: Advocating for a Patient’s Right to Refuse Treatment

A patient admitted to the emergency room is unconscious and has no known healthcare directives. The family is divided on whether to pursue aggressive life-saving measures. The nurse, after reviewing the patient’s medical history and potential outcomes, discusses the situation with the family. The nurse explains the risks and benefits of each treatment option, ensuring the family understands the full picture. The nurse then advocates for the family’s right to make an informed decision, even if it goes against the wishes of some family members. This may involve facilitating a family meeting with a social worker or ethicist to mediate the discussion. The nurse’s role is to ensure the patient’s wishes are respected, even if they are not explicitly stated.

Example 2: Advocating for Increased Staffing Levels

A nurse working on a busy medical-surgical floor notices a decline in patient care due to understaffing. Nurses are stretched thin, leading to missed medication administration, delayed pain management, and difficulty providing emotional support to patients. The nurse recognizes this as a safety risk and patient satisfaction issue. The nurse might advocate for increased staffing levels by collecting data on workload, missed care, and patient complaints. They could then present this data to the nurse manager or hospital administration, highlighting the negative consequences of understaffing. This could involve collaborating with other nurses to draft a formal proposal for increased staffing or participating in union activities to advocate for better working conditions.

These are just two examples of how nurses can advocate for their patients and for their profession. Nurses play a crucial role in ensuring patients receive safe, high-quality care and have their voices heard in the healthcare system.