"[4] (Bernall, 1992, p. 19)
Though historically this role could have strained the nurses professional relationships with other health care professionals, and especially doctors the modern medical industry has afforded a new way of understanding the role, including an emphasis of such a nursing role in medical school. (Bernall 1992, p. 22)
As this belief has proven to be a long-standing one, it is therefore important to explore a greater understanding of the application of its use in patient care. The particular example of the mentally handicapped / epileptic patient is important as the complicated nature of these possibly debilitating diseases often leaves patients feeling helpless to contribute to their own general health and wellness. In one study the application of a nurse, for the specific role of advocacy was used to study it effects of the patients health and wellness outcomes.
A nurse functioning as patient advocate for 21 epileptic mentally handicapped persons was able to win revised drug therapy for 19, while maintaining or enhancing their quality of life. Nurses are skilled, knowledgeable healthcare professionals whose advocacy is likely to have an impact upon neurologists. They should use that influence to increase their patients' quality of life. (Baribeault, 1996, p. 359)
With the holistic needs of the patient as well as the information given to the nurse, by the patient the nurses in this study were able to have profound effects over the...
Patients often feel as if the physician is all knowing and therefore capable of making all decisions independently. They therefore do not express concerns or specific problems they have with treatment. Where as patients often feel like the nurse is a more approachable member of their health care team and they divulge information, they might not have thought was important to the doctor. Through the role as patient advocate the nurse can act as an informative link between the patient and the health care delivery system, improving quality of care and hopefully quality of life.
References
Baribeault J.J. "Clinical advocacy for persons with epilepsy and mental retardation living in community-based programs." Journal of Neuroscience Nursing, Dec 1996 28/6 pp. 359-67.
Bernal E.W. "The nurse as patient advocate." The Hastings Center Report, July-August
1992. 22/4, pp. 18-23.
The Hastings Center Report, July-August 1992 v22 n4 p18(6)
The nurse as patient advocate. Ellen W. Bernal.
