From standard surgery recovery to hospice, one key factor has the power to bridge the gap between the uncertainty of a care plan and an engaged, confident choice: Nurses.
As patient advocates, the right registered nurse (RN) will act as a true extension of your family — addressing emotional and spiritual needs while also providing medical expertise.
At Navi Nurses, we take this concept to a whole new level. You or your loved one can build genuine relationships with trusted RNs while staying in control of healthcare decisions along the way.
Our private duty nurses come to your home, on your schedule, then go above and beyond in educating and listening to your family. This extra attention to detail — which we believe should be the standard — could be the difference in optimal health outcomes versus avoidable complications.
What Is a Patient Advocate?
Patient advocacy is so much more than your typical, in-and-out doctor visit. It’s forming strong bonds with healthcare partners who always have your back, serving as protective guardians of the whole family’s well-being.
An RN patient advocate can drastically improve health outcomes and quality of life. In fact, data from the Coalition of Health Care Advocacy Organizations revealed:
- 92% of patients believed their care was positively impacted by working with an advocate.
- 98% of advocates believed their patients were more educated, satisfied, and confident
in navigating health issues.
What Does a Patient Advocate Do?
Patient advocates give people the information they need to stay in the driver’s seat of their care.
- They speak up for you or your loved one when others won’t.
- They coordinate communication and follow-up with fellow providers.
- They understand unique wants and needs, then address them proactively.
- They keep you and your family informed and engaged every step of the way.
We excel in patient advocacy within the following five areas, as we believe there’s no such thing as caring too much.
1. Thinking Beyond Caregiving
Caregivers can play a vital role in one’s life, but you should carefully evaluate whether it makes sense to have a caregiver serve in a patient advocacy role.
Traditional caregivers can address emotional needs and take care of to-dos around the house, but RNs have essential knowledge to address comprehensive health concerns. This is a big differentiator when finding a go-to advocate.
From medication management and wound care to chronic and complex conditions, RNs are a trusted healthcare ally in preserving strength, resiliency, and longevity. Both caregivers and nurses have their place, but when seeking a patient advocate, you want to seek a partner who understands the ins and outs of medical care and your options.
2. Prioritizing the Whole Person
While an RN’s purpose is largely to focus on medical needs, we don’t neglect the rest. That’s where whole-person care comes in.
Physical health has a big impact on a person’s mental and spiritual state, which can cause complications, impede smooth recoveries, and lead to more hospital stays down the road.
That’s why our private duty nurses ask the right questions as a true guardian of you or your loved one’s body, mind, and spirit.
Instead of “How would you rate your pain on a scale of one to 10?” think “How is your current pain level impacting your quality of life? Is there anything we can do to support you further?”
That’s the difference between addressing medical needs and prioritizing the whole person.
Offering reliable communication among care teams, clients, and families after each visit, we go the extra mile when advocating for our patients to put a smile on their faces — fostering an ideal environment to heal or age in place from the comfort of home.
Our whole-person emphasis also applies to lifestyle. Have specific religious or cultural preferences? A vast RN network enables us to hand-pick nurses who can relate to and accommodate them.
3. Caring Without Constraints
Healthcare should be determined by humans who have your best interest at heart; not insurance checklists. With a transparent self-pay model, Navi Nurses’ RN partners aren’t limited by strict rules governing what care they can provide.
We believe in providing all the care a client wants and needs. If a visit takes longer, something unexpected happens, or a spouse also falls ill, we can address it all at one clear, hourly rate.
4. Educating for Confidence
Private duty nurses, as patient advocates, don’t just perform one task and move onto the next. They take additional time to explain and educate on a level that makes sense for the everyday individual and their family, supporting confidence in the greater overall care plan for optimal health outcomes.
5. Bringing Hospital-Level Care to Home
While patient advocacy doesn’t have to occur in the home, it certainly makes a difference in keeping people comfortable, relaxed, and feeling like their true selves — making critical medical information easier to absorb. An at-home patient advocate can also put friends and family at ease knowing an RN has their loved one’s back.
Experience True Patient Advocacy with Navi Nurses
Now that you’re up to speed on what patient advocacy is and what patient advocates do, request skilled nursing services from expert RNs who serve as genuine advocates for your family’s well-being.
Ready to hire a private duty nurse and co-create a care plan? Call us at (480) 482-1891 or reach out today. You’ll be heard by a medical professional right away.
