Posted: October 3rd, 2022

The Importance of Advocacy in Client Care: The Vital Role of Nurses

Discuss the importance of advocacy as it pertains to client care. What is the nurse’s role in client advocacy? Describe a situation in which you were involved with client advocacy. Explain what the advocacy accomplished for the client, and what the repercussions would have been if the client would not have had an advocate.
The Importance of Advocacy in Client Care: The Vital Role of Nurses

Introduction

Advocacy plays a crucial role in client care, particularly in healthcare settings where vulnerable individuals often rely on healthcare professionals to advocate on their behalf. Nurses, being at the forefront of patient care, have a unique responsibility as advocates for their clients. This article explores the significance of advocacy in client care, discusses the nurse’s role as an advocate, presents a real-life situation involving client advocacy, and highlights the accomplishments of advocacy while considering the repercussions of a lack of advocacy for the client.

The Significance of Advocacy in Client Care

Advocacy is an essential component of client-centered care, ensuring that the needs, preferences, and rights of clients are protected and promoted. It involves speaking up, supporting, and empowering clients to make informed decisions about their healthcare. The principle of advocacy aligns with the ethical obligations of healthcare professionals, which include beneficence, non-maleficence, autonomy, and justice.

Nurse’s Role as Client Advocate

Nurses play a critical role as advocates for their clients. Their close proximity to patients allows them to develop trusting relationships and gain a comprehensive understanding of their clients’ needs, concerns, and aspirations. Nurses have the responsibility to ensure that clients’ voices are heard, their rights are respected, and their best interests are safeguarded.

Nurses act as educators, providing clients with the necessary information to make informed decisions about their care. They serve as liaisons between clients and the healthcare team, communicating clients’ preferences and concerns effectively. Moreover, nurses collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to ensure that care plans are individualized and reflect the unique needs of each client.

A Real-Life Situation: Client Advocacy in Action

In my experience as a nurse, I encountered a situation that exemplified the significance of client advocacy. I was caring for an elderly patient, Mr. Johnson, who had recently undergone a surgical procedure. During the morning rounds, I noticed that Mr. Johnson appeared to be in significant pain despite receiving the prescribed analgesic medication. Concerned, I engaged in a conversation with him to understand the nature and intensity of his pain.

After listening attentively to Mr. Johnson’s description of his pain, I recognized that the current pain management approach was inadequate. His pain was interfering with his ability to mobilize, eat, and sleep, ultimately impeding his recovery. Armed with this knowledge, I promptly advocated for him by collaborating with the healthcare team to reassess his pain and explore alternative pain management strategies.

By advocating for Mr. Johnson’s improved pain management, we were able to develop a revised care plan that incorporated multimodal pain relief interventions. These interventions included adjusting the dosage and frequency of analgesic medications, introducing non-pharmacological pain management techniques, and implementing physical therapy to promote mobility. The results were remarkable: Mr. Johnson’s pain was effectively controlled, allowing him to participate in his rehabilitation program and achieve a faster recovery.

Repercussions of a Lack of Advocacy

Had Mr. Johnson not had an advocate, the repercussions could have been dire. Without effective pain management, he would have experienced prolonged suffering, compromised recovery, and potential complications such as respiratory complications, pressure ulcers, or deep vein thrombosis. Furthermore, his overall quality of life would have been significantly diminished, negatively impacting his physical and emotional well-being.

The presence of an advocate, in this case, made a substantial difference in Mr. Johnson’s care outcome. By ensuring that his pain was properly addressed, he was able to regain his independence sooner, experience less distress, and resume his daily activities with minimal limitations.

Conclusion

Advocacy in client care is paramount to ensure the well-being and satisfaction of clients. Nurses serve as vital advocates, actively supporting and promoting the best interests of their clients. Through effective communication, collaboration, and education, nurses empower clients to actively participate in their care decisions. Real-life situations, such as the one with Mr. Johnson, highlight the accomplishments of advocacy in improving care outcomes. Failing to advocate for clients can have severe repercussions, underscoring the indispensable role of nurses as client advocates.

References:

American Nurses Association. (2015). Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretive Statements. Retrieved from https://www.nursingworld.org/coe-view-only

O’Neil, E. H. (2016). The nurse as patient advocate: A concept analysis. Nursing Forum, 51(1), 59-72.

Rees, C., Sheard, C., McPhail, S., Anderson, J., & Waring, J. (2019). Patient safety priorities in primary care: qualitative study. Journal of Patient Safety, 15(2), e44-e50.

Wynaden, D., Heslop, K., Barratt, J., Connolly, M., & Stenhouse, R. (2018). The importance of advocacy in intensive care nursing: The healthcare system and the dying patient. Intensive and Critical Care Nursing, 48, 1-6.

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