Affordable Care Act and Patient Advocacy

Running Head: Affordable Care Act and Patient Advocacy
Assessment
Affordable Care Act and Patient Advocacy
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Affordable Care Act and Patient Advocacy 2
Introduction
The relationship between the patients and the healthcare providers is largely based on patient
advocacy. Many times patients encounter several healthcare challenges in interpreting their
diagnosis, recognizing the meaning of difficult medical terms, and understanding the
requirement of preventive and follow up care. The patient advocacy involves extending nursing
support for the patients by explaining them difficult medical terms, their prescription and
medications, clarifying healthcare goals to them, and instructing them about different alternative
treatments and procedures. It helps the nursing professionals in establishing trust within their
relationships with the patients, encouraging their contribution in clinical decisions, and
identifying the needs of individual patients in this regard.
Patient Advocacy can be defined as ‘the practice of informing patients, communicating with
them, speaking out for their preferences, protecting them and developing relationships with
them’ (Ronnebaum & Schmer, 2015).
Contributing to safe practice
Safe healthcare environment can be developed to promote sanitation, hygiene, ventilation and
comfort. While dealing with culturally diverse patients, the healthcare providers must take care
of the issues like inadequate health literacy, socioeconomic disparities and medical mistrust
which may be there in the minds of these populations. Such issues may hinder the delivery of
favorable care thereby increasing the rate of health disparities and chronic illness in these
patients. The nurses are required to deliver culturally acceptable care to lower down the rate of
chronic diagnosis, enhance the communication and trust in relationship.

Affordable Care Act and Patient Advocacy 3
It is necessary to include patient advocacy in nursing curriculum. The nurses learning patient
advocacy in their curriculums can apply it in an effective manner in the care settings. The
nursing students should be given quality training to address the needs of terminally ill patients to
enhance their awareness, power and confidence.
Patient Advocacy may also facilitate controversial and negative consequences in form of
disagreements between the nurse and patients, or nurse and physicians. In such cases the nurses
must equally respect the rights of patient autonomy while advocating for their preferences.
Role of Nurse and how nurses will advocate for healthcare consumers/ Patients
According to American Nurses Association’s code of practice for nurses, their role may extend
to responsibilities like explaining healthcare policies to the patients, protecting their rights, and
respecting their decisions in the treatment (Ronnebaum & Schmer, 2015). The nurses can
provide the patients with all the necessary information they need to make decisions and give
their informed consent. They need to care for the patients, value them and assist them.
According to Baldwin, the nurses may act as intermediates between the healthcare providers and
the patient and his family (Ronnebaum & Schmer, 2015). He elaborated the three attributes of
nurse’s role as following: (a) Valuing- The nurses can empower the patients, their self
determination and freedom (b) Interceding- The nurses can help the patients in getting through
the barriers of healthcare requirements (c) Apprising- The nurses can educate, inform and advice
the patients (Ronnebaum & Schmer, 2015).