Abdominal pain is perhaps one of the most frequent complaints listed on a Health Service Request Form in the correctional environment. Changes to routine and diet, stress, and the “unmasking” of symptoms as patients become “detoxed” from substances like alcohol and drugs may contribute to complaints of abdominal problems. It is important that the correctional nurse understand the pathophysiology of the abdomen,…
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ATTRIBUTES NECESSARY FOR EFFECTIVE PATIENT ADVOCACY Clear Communication Communication is always an area of potential misunderstanding, and especially so when there are two (or more) groups of people from different backgrounds and perceptions, and different missions in the workplace. As healthcare staff, we have certain words, our “healthcare language” if you will, that is perfectly understandable to us and to…
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The American Nurses Association (ANA) clearly identifies a professional nursing responsibility to protect the rights of patients through patient advocacy. In addition, the ANA Code of Ethics states that all nurses must care for patients “with compassion and respect for the inherent dignity, worth and uniqueness of every individual, unrestricted by considerations of social or economic status, personal attributes or…
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