What is an important responsibility of a nurse in patient advocacy?

In the realm of patient advocacy, one of the primary responsibilities of a nurse is to uphold patients' rights and preferences. This involves not only protecting patients' rights to make informed decisions about their care but also ensuring that their values and needs are respected throughout their healthcare experience. Nurses are often in a unique position to observe and identify when a patient's preferences are not being met, advocating on their behalf to ensure they receive the care aligned with their wishes.

For example, if a patient expresses a desire to pursue a specific treatment or wishes to refuse an intervention, the nurse plays a critical role in facilitating discussions with the healthcare team to honor these choices. This commitment to advocating for individual patients is fundamental to the nurse’s responsibilities in promoting a patient-centered care environment.

While effective communication between patients and families, reducing healthcare costs, and managing patient admissions are valuable aspects of healthcare, they do not directly reflect the core principles of patient advocacy, which focus on empowering and protecting the patient's voice within the healthcare system.