Nursing Homework

Instructions:

Complete this document either in Word. All of this information is found in the PowerPoint presentations

(use a different color for responses, for example). You may use word for word or reword the powerpoint in the answer. Short answers please

Chapter 6—Patient, Subordinate, Workplace and Professional Advocacy

Define advocacy as it is used in nursing practice—in its various ways.
Describe ways that nurses act as advocates in their nursing practice.
Name common areas that nurse provide advocacy to their patients.
Describe the major tenets of the Patient’s Bill of Rights and Responsibilities
Define workplace advocacy—and give one example of how managers provide for a safe environment.
Define internal whistleblowing—give an example
Define external whistleblowing—give an example
Name strategies that nurses can demonstrate their ability to advocate for healthcare from their perspective.

Chapter 6 Patient, Subordinate, Workplace, and Professional Advocacy

Learning Objectives

Identify values central to advocacy (Text p 139)
Describe the core concepts of person- and family-centered care (Text p 142-143)
Identify how the Patient’s Bill of Rights protects patients (Text 144-46)
Identify ways individual nurses can advocate for the profession (ATI p 36) (Text p 141 & 148)
Identify both the risks and potential benefits of becoming a whistleblower (Text 149-50)

*Advocacy (ATI p 36) (Text p 137)

Advocacy #1

Involves helping others to grow and self-actualize

Defined as protecting and defending what one believes in for both self and others

Advocacy #2

Nurses must advocate for themselves, clients, subordinates, and their profession.

How Nurses Can Act as Advocates

Helping others make informed decisions

Acting as intermediaries in the environment

Directly intervening on behalf of others

Advocating for social justice

Controlling Patient Choices Versus Assisting Patient Choices

It is important for the patient advocate to be able to differentiate between controlling patient choices (domination and dependence) and assisting patient choices (allowing freedom).

Common Areas Requiring Nurse–Patient Advocacy #1

End-of-life decisions

Aging populations

Technological advances

Access to health care

Provider–patient conflicts

Withholding of information

Insurance authorization

Health-care reimbursement

Common Areas Requiring Nurse–Patient Advocacy #2

Medical errors

Patient information disclosure

Patient grievance and appeals process

Culture and ethnic diversity and sensitivity

Respect for patient dignity

Inadequate consents; complex social problems

Incompetent health-care providers

Common Areas Requiring Nurse–Patient Advocacy #3

Since the 1960s, some advocacy groups, professional associations, and states have passed Bills of Rights for patients. Although not legally binding, they can be used to guide professional practice.

Patient Rights #1

1998 Patient’s Bill of Rights:

Helps patients feel comfortable in the system

Stresses strong patient–provider relationship

Stresses key role patients play in staying healthy

2010 Affordable Care Act:

Gives patients protection in dealing with insurance companies

Patient Rights #2

The philosophy of person- and family-centered care suggests that care should be organized first and foremost around the needs of patients and family members.

Subordinate Advocacy

Nurse administrators should advocate for other health-care providers (including subordinates) as well as patients, especially when this is related to health and safety.

Workplace Advocacy

Workplace advocacy occurs when the manager assures the work environment is both safe and conducive to professional and personal growth for subordinates.

Internal Versus External Whistleblowing #1

Internal whistleblowing occurs within an organization, reporting up the chain of command.

External whistleblowing involves reporting outside the organization, such as to the media or an elected official.

Internal Versus External Whistleblowing #2

Although much of the public wants wrongdoing or corruption to be reported, such behavior is often looked upon with distrust, and whistleblowers are often considered disloyal and experience negative repercussions for their actions.

Internal Versus External Whistleblowing #3

Leader-managers must be willing to advocate for whistleblowers who speak out about organizational practices that they believe may be harmful or inappropriate.

Internal Versus External Whistleblowing #4

Leader-managers also must be advocates for the nursing profession. When nurses find a discrepancy between their perceived role and society’s expectations, they have a responsibility to advocate for the profession.

Internal Versus External Whistleblowing #5

Nurses must exert their collective influence and make their concerns known to policy makers before they can have a major impact on political and legislative outcomes.

Internal Versus External Whistleblowing #6

Nurses have great potential to educate the public and influence policy through the media as a result of the public’s high trust in nurses and because the public wants to hear about health-care issues from a nursing perspective.

Writing a Letter to a Legislator #1

Write a personal letter. Be formal but polite. The letter should be one page.

Address the legislator by title.

Establish your credibility early in the letter as both a constituent and as a health-care expert.

Writing a Letter to a Legislator #2

Refer to a specific bill by number.

State your position on the issue.

Offer your assistance as a resource person for additional information.

Writing a Letter to a Legislator #3

Sign the letter, including your name and contact information.

Be persistent and write repeatedly to legislators who are undecided on an issue.

Nurses and the Media

Many nurses avoid media exposure because they believe they lack the expertise or because they lack self-confidence.

However, nurses should take every opportunity to appear in newspapers and on radio and television. The public needs and wants to hear from nurses. Get media training to increase both your skill and self confidence.

Tips for Interacting with the Media #1

Respect and meet the reporter’s deadlines.

Assume, until proven otherwise, that the reporter will be fair and accurate in his or her reporting.

Have key facts and figures ready for the interview.

Tips for Interacting with the Media #2

Limit your key points to two or three and frame them as bullet points.

Avoid technical or academic jargon.

Tips for Interacting with the Media #3

Speak confidently but do not be afraid to say when you do not have the expertise to answer a question or when a question is better directed to someone else.

Tips for Interacting with the Media #4

Avoid being pulled into inflammatory arguments or blame setting and repeat key points if you are pulled off into tangents.

Provide the reporter with contact information for follow-up and needed clarifications.

Tips for Interacting with the Media #5

Be prepared.

Provide the media with clear, concise information.

Stay on track by sticking to predetermined points.

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