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| Advocacy ia a popular concept in nursing literature, and suggests that for nurses to be effective advocates, they need to be recognized, and to recognize themselves, as equal partners in a multidisciplinary team. | |
 Introduction |
The development of team approaches and information sharing would empower nurses in their advocacy role. Strategies for advocacy can complement and synchronize to improve patient outcomes. Patients and their families can have direct and immediate impact to drive change. Nurse advocacy can only be effective if inadequacies are recognized and models of advocacy are promoted to affect change.
 A practical model for advocacy where nurses have knowledge of an individual and the skills to give that individual the freedom to make their own decisions through informed choices. The "health plan" of any individual can be adapted to meet the specific needs of that individual. The challenge in this model for the nursing profession is to empower itself to act within the medical and institutional oppositon that has greater authority than nursing. Advocacy can affect health outcomes and clinical practice. Reassurances that advocating will serve the best interests of patients, nurses, and the health care sytem can empower the role of advocacy for nurses in all areas of practice, including education, administration, research and direct care. |
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Advocacy |
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