Your advocacy and your nurse

Your Nurse: Your Caregiver and Advocate

When you hear the word "nurse," what picture comes to mind? The image of a white-capped woman in a white dress? Someone who takes your temperature, your blood pressure and brings you medicine?

That vision is a bit dated. These days, nurses come in both genders. And they've traded in their white caps for more comfortable scrubs. They still monitor your vital signs, give you medicine and take care of your needs. But they also have additional duties. Your nurse is your caretaker, confidante and protector.

Your nurse's role
Your nurse is concerned with your whole well-being. He or she will not just focus on the condition that drove you to seek care. Your nurse tends to your physical needs and also offers support and guidance.

Getting diagnosed with a new condition or being prescribed a new treatment can be overwhelming. In addition to caring for your condition, your nurse can also help you cope. He or she will guide you through this process by helping you:

•Learn about your diagnosis by explaining unfamiliar procedures and treatments
•Make your own decisions by encouraging you to ask questions, express your feelings and consider all of your options
•Take control of your own care
Like your doctor, your nurse keeps your medical information confidential. Talk to your nurse about any concerns, fears or problems you have.

Your nurse as your advocate
Your nurse also protects your rights. According to the American Nursing Association Code of Ethics, "The nurse promotes, advocates for and strives to protect the health, safety and rights of the patient."

Your nurse works on your behalf. He or she makes sure you're an active participant in deciding what type of treatment you will have. Your nurse then protects your right to have the treatment you've chosen.

Nurses are advocates for all patients, including those who are not as able to help themselves, such as people who:

•Don't speak English
•Are very young or very old
•Are mentally or emotionally impaired
•Lack financial resources
•Do not have family and friends present
The nurse is there to give a voice to those who are unable to speak for themselves. Here are examples of how nurses protect the interests of their patients:

•An uninsured homeless man is being released from the hospital, but has no one to care for him and nowhere to go. The nurse calls a social service organization and makes arrangements for his care.
•A woman in labor is pleading for an epidural, but no doctor is available to give her the injection. Her nurse does not give up until she reaches an anesthesiologist who can give her the requested epidural.
•A nurse suspects that a child in her care has been the victim of abuse. She reports her suspicions to Family Services.
Types of nurses
All nurses serve as your advocate and caregiver. But their education, licenses and responsibilities vary. A few types of nurses include:

•Registered nurses (RNs) graduate from a college nursing program and pass a state board exam. Many RNs work in hospitals.
•Nurse practitioners (NPs) are RNs who have taken additional courses and clinic work and have at least a master's degree. NPs can prescribe certain medication, and diagnose and treat minor illnesses and injuries.
•Certified nurse-midwives (CNMs) are RNs who are licensed in midwifery. They have at least a master's degree, have taken coursework in midwifery and passed a national board exam. They give gynecological care and can perform low-risk births.
•Licensed practical nurses (LPNs) are not RNs. LPNs take a year-long nursing course after high school and then pass a state board exam.
Nurses work in:

•Hospitals
•Doctor's offices
•Nursing homes
•Government and community public health agencies
•Schools (as a school nurse or as an educator teaching nursing students)
•Peoples' homes
Keep in mind that your nurse is there not just to care for your health, but to guard and defend your rights. Whether you are visiting your doctor for a routine physical or being admitted to the hospital for surgery, your nurse is there for you.





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