Registered Practical Nurse (RPN) Practice Test

Which of the following best describes the role of advocacy in nursing practice?

1. Acting solely for the hospital’s policies

2. Ensuring patients' voices are heard and represented

3. Maintaining silence on patient grievances

4. Prioritizing efficiency over patient care

The correct answer is: Ensuring patients' voices are heard and represented

The role of advocacy in nursing practice is fundamentally about ensuring that patients' voices are heard and represented in their care. Advocacy involves standing up for the rights and needs of patients, facilitating their ability to make informed decisions, and supporting them in navigating the healthcare system. Nurses play a critical role in communicating patient concerns, preferences, and values to the healthcare team, thereby ensuring that care plans align with what is best for the patient. In this context, advocacy is important because it empowers patients and enhances their engagement in their own health care. It fosters a trusting relationship between nurses and patients, which is essential for effective care delivery. Advocacy also involves working to overcome barriers that patients may face in accessing care or expressing their needs, thereby improving health outcomes and patient satisfaction. Other options represent roles or behaviors that do not align with the true nature of advocacy in nursing. For example, solely acting for the hospital’s policies may lead to a situation where patient interests are secondary to institutional needs. Similarly, maintaining silence on patient grievances contradicts the very essence of advocacy, which is to ensure that patients can express their concerns without fear of reprisal. Lastly, prioritizing efficiency over patient care may compromise the quality of care provided, whereas advocacy emphasizes the importance of patient-centered care