Nurses' perception and experiences of advocacy

This small qualitative research study, undertaken for a Bachelor (Honours) Course, was aimed at discovering nurses' perceptions and experiences of advocacy, through focused, in-depth interviews. Thematic analysis identified seven major themes: advocacy as a moral obligation, knowing the patient, triggers to becoming an advocate, considering the consequences, the difficulties of advocating, becoming an effective advocate and outcomes of advocacy. When further examined, these themes suggested that advocacy is a process rather than an event. The themes are supported from the data and the steps in the process are outlined and offered as a tentative model of nursing advocacy. This study increases understanding of advocacy from a nursing perspective and may help minimise the difficulties of enacting an advocacy role.