What types of advocacy exist for nurses today? Certainly, we can see how there are many ways and different groups to advocate for as a nurse.

Definition of Advocate:

1. Defends or promotes the rights of others.

2. Changes systems to meet the needs of others.

3. Empowers and promotes self-determination in others.

4. Promotes autonomy of diverse cultures.

5. Ensures respect, equality, and dignity for others.

6. Cares for the humanness of all.

Instructions:

1. Examine the term advocate as defined above, and think of how advocacy can be demonstrated in everyday practice.

2. Select at least three (3) of the factors that make up the definition and give a very specific explanation of how you or someone you know has demonstrated they were/are an advocate.

3. Your paper should be:

o Typed according to APA style for margins, formatting and spacing standards

o Typed into a Microsoft Word document or complete the Staffing Table, save the file, and then upload the file

Book: Leadership Roles and Management Functions in Nursing

Answer preview

According to Walker et al, (2015), nurse advocates act as a link between the doctors and patients. Advocacy as defined above tries to change the systems in order to meet the needs of others. In our day to day practice, we experience this whereby patients arrive in our hospitals in critical conditions. The system says that every patient should follow the right procedure which is lining up at the reception and waiting to be admitted. When a patient comes in a critical condition we act as advocates where we change the rules of the system and accommodate the patient. This happens nearly every day and we have to act as advocates and change the system in order to meet the needs of others. Later after first aid and diagnosis has been made we then go back to the reception now after the patient is stable.(454words)