School Nurse Advocacy Paper

Advocacy is one of the primary roles of a nurse. Merriam-Webster (2017) defines an advocate as “one who pleads the cause of another before a tribunal or judicial court.” It is a natural process as the caregivers we spend more time in their presence and are more inclined to recognize their needs. Therefore, to ignore those needs are neglectful. Recently, I was doing administrative environmental rounds and notice a patient in his room attempting to feed himself. The resident’s plate guard was on the floor, his weighted fork was on the bedside table. He had spilled food all over himself and the floor, as he was eating with his hands. My immediate response was to make sure his needs were met. Therefore, cleaned the food off of him, then cleaned up the floor and assisted him with his meal. However, I …show more content…
However, until recently the role of the school nurse did not resonate with me; considering my interaction with them, as a parent and a professional was limited to turning in vaccination records and physical forms. Moreover, school nurses are both community and political advocates. “Nevertheless, this feeling is stronger toward children and their immediate family members and is heightened during illnesses. Nurses who have this feeling of closeness tend to defend their patients as they would defend themselves” (Davoodvand et al, 2016).

My Personal Definition of Advocacy is to: 1-Doing right by those entrusted to my care by the Creator of the Universe, 2-Listen to them and address their needs like I would my own, 3-Treat all needs with importance no matter how big or small (ex. a cup of water with ice and providing aseptic wound care are equally important if it’s important to the well being of the client), 4- Be their spokesperson when needed by conveying the needs and wants and 5- Recognizing the client a human being (see their significance as God sees