The efficacy of primary nursing as a foundation for patient advocacy

Modern nursing practice aims at addressing the needs of the client in a way which is consistent with his or her individual views, rights and wishes. Salvage (1) describes these changes in nursing as the advent of 'new nursing.' This has encouraged an interest in the concept of patient advocacy. This article examines the areas of practice which, it is suggested, affect the way in which nurses can take on the role of patients' advocate, the different types of relationship which may be formed between nurses and patients, and the effect of individual nurse's personal values in influencing planning and implementation of care. It is suggested that the organisational mode of primary nursing offers nurses a means to fulfil the role of patients' advocate through its emphasis on the crucial importance of the nurse's responsibilities and relationships with patients.