Advocacy in Nursing: A Case Study of Patient Care and Management

This report examines the crucial role of advocacy in nursing, emphasizing its importance in upholding patient rights and promoting their well-being. The report presents a case study where a nurse advocated for a patient experiencing severe pain. The nurse ensured the patient received timely diagnostic tests and immediate results, overcoming institutional delays. This involved direct communication with the doctor and highlights the collaborative efforts within the healthcare team, including the nurse manager's supervisory role. The case underscores the significance of patient-centered care and the nurse's commitment to ensuring the patient's needs are met promptly. The report references relevant literature on health promotion and advocacy in pain management, reinforcing the importance of these practices. This report provides a practical example of how nurses advocate for their patients.

Running head: ADVOCACY IN NURSING 1
ADVOCACY IN NURSING
Name
Institutional Affiliation

ADVOCACY IN NURSING 2
ADVOCACY IN NURSING
Advocacy in nursing is an important aspect in the profession as enshrined in the Ottawa
charter of health promotion. Through advocacy, individual nurses advocate the rights of their
patients to promote their wellbeing based on the patient's perspective (Kumar & Preetha,2012).
In one occasion, I attended to a patient who was complaining of severe groin pain that
had lasted for a few days. According to the patient, the pain was intensifying day by day and by
looking at her one could tell that she was, I need pain. After being attended to the doctor had
ordered, an MRI to be carried out to ascertain what was wrong with the patient. After a few
hours, I met the patient standing outside the medical facility looking pale. She told me that she
had been told to come back for the results three days later. Because I did not believe that that was
necessary, I immediately called the doctor in charge and after a lengthy discussion, we agreed
that the patient would have the results on the same day. The nurse manager played a pivotal role
in supervising nurses at the health facility to ensure that care for the patient was delivered
successfully (Ware, Bruckenthal, Davis & O'Conner-Von,2011).
The healthcare team members at the facility worked collaboratively with a common goal
of identifying what was ailing the patient and providing the requisite treatment. They worked in
consultation and relied on results from the MRI as well as their professional knowledge to arrive
at a decision.

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References
Kumar, S., & Preetha, G. S. (2012). Health promotion: an effective tool for global health. Indian
journal of community medicine: official publication of Indian Association of Preventive
& Social Medicine, 37(1), 5.
Ware, L. J., Bruckenthal, P., Davis, G. C., & O'Conner-Von, S. K. (2011). Factors that influence
patient advocacy by pain management nurses: results of the American Society for pain
management nursing survey. Pain Management Nursing, 12(1), 25-32.