Advocating for Patients - Assignment Example

Advocating For Patients When treating a patient with a suspicious injury or illness, what is the level of responsibility a nurse has in advocating for that patient? What if there is the possibility of substance abuse or domestic violence? How would these factors affect the patient’s treatment? What are the ethical dilemmas apparent in dealing with patient’s suffering from more than just illness? How would you handle the situation? Please answer the following: What are some ways in which nurses in your work setting could fulfill their legal and ethical responsibility to advocate for patients with suspicious injuries or illnesses?

One way to deal with the patients in such a situation is to report the patient to the concerned agencies whether or not the suspicion is truth. The nurse should deliver the care but report the before and after injuries or signs of illness to the concerned authorities. This way, the nurse would provide the care and referring the matter to the suitable department for further investigations. Another way to deal with this situation is to ask the patient about the injury or illness before providing care and associating the decision to perform further with the genuineness of his/her response.

What are the major challenges to nurses meeting that responsibility, and what are some strategies that BSN nurses could use to help their colleagues overcome those challenges?