WEEK THREE: Differentiate between the manager’s responsibility to advocate for patients, subordinates and the organization. Discuss how increased consumer awareness of patient rights has affected the actions of the health care team.
Patient advocacy is necessary because disease almost always results in decreased independence, loss of freedom, and interference with the ability to make choices autonomously. Managers must advocate for patients with regard to distribution of resources and the use of technology. The leader-managers have a responsibility to see that all patient rights are met, including the right to privacy and personal liberty, which are guaranteed by the Constitution (Marquis & Huston, 2011).
Subordinate advocacy is when the manager works to see that the work environment is both safe and conductive to professional and personal growth for subordinates. Subordinates should also be able to have the expectation that their work hours and schedules will be reasonable, that staffing ratios will be adequate to support safe patient care, that wages will be fair and equitable and that nurses will be allowed participation in organization decision making (Marquis & Huston, 2011).
Mangers must also be advocates for the nursing profession. Joining a profession requires making a personal decision to involve oneself in a system of socially defined roles (Marquis & Huston, 2011).
Patients know that they have rights and want to understand any and all treatment options and