During review of a patient’s progress, the healthcare team determines

QUESTION

During review of a patient’s progress, the healthcare team determines that a patient requires treatment that is generally accepted at that time in the usual illness trajectory of a patient. The patient is unable to pay.

As the head nurse, you persist in ensuring that this patient receives the treatment. You are:

a. Empowering the patient.
b. Avoiding litigation.
c. Advocating for the patient.
d. Supporting the clinical pathway.

ANSWER:

ANS: C
Advocacy means defending the rights and interests of others and, in this situation, the right of a patient to receive care, as determined by standards utilized in a critical pathway.