Enhancing patient well-being: advocacy or negotiation?

Area of Science:

• Nursing Ethics
• Patient Advocacy
• Healthcare Professional Roles

Background:

• The United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visitors (UKCC) identifies patient advocacy as crucial for professional nursing.
• Existing literature explores the benefits and drawbacks of nurses acting as patient advocates.

Purpose of the Study:

• To critically evaluate the role of nurses as patient advocates.
• To explore the moral issues surrounding nursing advocacy.
• To propose an alternative model for patient well-being and suffering minimization.

Main Methods:

• Critical analysis of the concept of advocacy in nursing.
• Examination of moral issues related to patient advocacy.
• Discussion of multidisciplinary team negotiation with patients.

Main Results:

• The role of patient advocate is debated, with moral complexities arising.
• Negotiation within multidisciplinary teams is suggested to improve patient outcomes.
• Empowerment, enabling patients to control factors affecting their lives, is presented as a more effective approach than advocacy.

Conclusions:

• The primary role of healthcare professionals, including nurses, is patient empowerment.
• Empowerment enables patients to assert control, promoting well-being and reducing suffering.
• This shifts the focus from advocacy to enabling patient self-determination.