Those who are ill or in the hospital tend to feel dazed, frightened, and lost in the processes that are taking place around them. Understanding medical terms is often challenging for patients, who may lack knowledge about their rights and the best options available for their health. This is where nurses come into play, not only as caregivers but also as advocates. An advocate is someone who ensures that the basic needs and rights of another individual are met and defended (Gonzalez, 2018). In nursing, advocacy means defending patients by helping them access necessary resources, explaining their options, and supporting them to make appropriate choices (Smith, 2020). Nurses are frequently the nearest members of the healthcare team to patients. They see the patients daily, talk to their relatives, and interface with the physicians. Thus, nurses are in the best position to advocate for patients.
Nursing advocacy contains three key components. The central aspect involves enabling patients to choose their methods of care. The secondary component is guiding patients towards making educated decisions concerning their health. The third component involves advocacy on behalf of the patients and their families, particularly when those individuals are incapable of advocating for themselves (Smith, 2020). Advocacy is fundamental to enhanced patient care and holistic healthcare. In many ways, it shapes contemporary nursing.
With the COVID-19 pandemic in full swing, the nurse’s role as an advocate became even more pivotal and challenging. To make matters worse, hospitals were flooded with patients, and strict regulations barred family members from visiting. For the most part, nurses were the only individuals who interacted with patients directly. They served as a bridge between the patient and the outside world (Lee, 2021). Nurses provide and still provide multitasking roles where they convey messages, provide emotional support, and tackle complex decisions all at the same time. In addition, nurses helped patients comprehend their treatment, provided updates to concerned family members, and ensured that patients were listened to. While all of this was happening, nurses were facing a massive lack of resources in the form of hospital beds and testing kits, and providing additional layers of required PPE to their already minimal supplies of available PPE (Jones & Patel, 2021). A large number of nurses suffered from long shifts, elevated stress levels, burnout, and a myriad of other problems. Attempting to advocate better during these circumstances made things even harder. As previously discussed, ineffective communication gaps between hospital personnel, patients, and their families pose a challenge to nursing practice. This was due to a wide range of factors, including cultural and religious differences, rigid hospital policies, and antiquated systems. Santos et al. (2021) reported that some nurses felt unsupported or ignored when voicing concerns, which is particularly concerning given the insufficient advocacy to address these gaps. In numerous instances, healthcare neglect led to profound suffering, unfavorable health results, and fatalities (Rodriguez, 2022). The pandemic underscored the United States’ healthcare system’s systemic weaknesses while simultaneously highlighting the importance of properly equipping nurses with necessary training, resources, and support to enable them to advocate for patients effectively.
Looking ahead, there is a need to rethink nursing education. What became clearest during the pandemic’s peak is that health transcends the four walls of a hospital. Many health issues stem from broader societal challenges like inadequate socioeconomic status, lack of education, discrimination, and restricted healthcare access, all classified as social determinants of health. Brown (2021) states that nurses must be prepared to advocate against these challenges, not just at the patient level, but at the level of societal transformation. Unfortunately, the education offered still revolves around care in a hospital environment, focusing on illness and sidelining health. Anderson (2020) calls for a shift, advocating for a comprehensive public health approach bolstered by bold nurse advocacy in community and national dialogues. Advocacy in nursing is a two-way street: self-advocacy and patient advocacy must be balanced. There must be reasonable compensation, safe working environments, and room for advancement (Taylor, 2022). Collectively, nurses can advocate for change in the health laws, policies, and leadership and make a tangible difference. It has been noted that nurses advocate and speak out more when they understand the policies shaping healthcare, know how their organizations function, and possess strong communication skills (Evans & Chen, 2022). Despite the challenges of technologically obsolete hospital infrastructures, dwindling funds, and chronically low staffing levels, nurses display enormous fortitude. They compassionately and persistently defend patients and strive for better care due to strong moral principles.
To support nurses as effective advocates, several key steps are needed. First, ongoing education is essential. Keeping informed of new laws within the health care field, emerging medical technologies, and new policies makes decision-making easier (Smith, 2020). Second, clear and confident communication with patients, doctors, administrators, and even lawmakers. Clear communication makes a nurse’s work easier. Third, strong teamwork is critical. Nurses should strive to foster good working relationships with other health professionals to facilitate collaborative multidisciplinary care. Fourth, good working relations enable a thorough comprehension of ethics, which aids nurses in resolving complex scenarios. These could be patients refusing to take treatment or those dealing with a life-threatening illness. Fifth, at a minimum, nurses are supposed to understand health policies in their communities, countries, and globally. This enables them to influence the construction of better health systems actively.
One further recommendation of equal significance is enrollment in nursing organizations, which provide resources, advocacy, training, and a platform to raise concerns of critical importance. Advocacy at all levels should be prioritized, especially self-advocacy, which refers to just and equitable policies, better workplace environments, and mental health services. Nurses must advocate on their behalf as well. Nurses have tangible tools and self-assurance to act due to advocacy training workshops. Finally, the value of mentorship and peer support cannot be overstated. Experienced nurses assist novices, and support groups help staff cope with the emotional burdens associated with advocacy.
Advocacy in nursing is not only integral to the profession but also has the potential to change the healthcare system for the better. Through advocacy, nurses advance the rights of their patients and navigate their patients through the complex healthcare system, enhancing the overall healthcare environment. During the COVID pandemic, nurses’ voices were indispensable, not only during the fight to preserve life, but also during battles over resources and ethical concerns. Nurses will continue to serve at the vanguard of change in the healthcare industry, enabling them to provide care throughout the healthcare continuum. That advocacy will be critical in providing for the voice of the patient, ensuring that the patient, irrespective of their social determinants, is valued in the healthcare system’s processes.
References
Anderson, K. J. (2020). Training nurses for community-based care: Lessons from COVID-19. Journal of Nursing Education, 59(8), 423–428. https://doi.org/10.3928/01484834-20200723-01
Brown, M. T. (2021). The expanding role of nurses in public health advocacy. Nursing Forum, 56(2), 145–153. https://doi.org/10.1111/nuf.12534
Evans, R., & Chen, Y. (2022). Empowering nurses as policy advocates: Confidence and education. Health Policy and Nursing, 18(1), 55–62. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hpn.2022.01.003
Gonzalez, L. (2018). Definition and role of the patient advocate. American Journal of Health Promotion, 32(4), 687–690.
Jones, A., & Patel, S. (2021). Pandemic pressures: PPE shortages and nurse burnout. International Nursing Review, 68(1), 23-29. https://doi.org/10.1111/inr.12634
Lee, D. R. (2021). The role of nurses as communication bridges during COVID-19. Critical Care Nurse, 41(6), e9–e15. https://doi.org/10.4037/ccn2021941
Rodriguez, L. (2022). How lack of advocacy affects patient outcomes. Journal of Clinical Ethics, 33(1), 40-47.
Santos, M. E., Alonzo, J., & Reyes, C. (2021). Challenges in nurse-patient-family communication in hospitals. Philippine Journal of Nursing, 91(2), 55-60.
Smith, T. R. (2020). Patient advocacy in nursing: principles and practice. Nursing Ethics Today, 27(4), 317-326. https://doi.org/10.1177/0969733020918837
Taylor, H. S. (2022). Why nurses must advocate for themselves. American Nurse Journal, 17(3), 24-26.
