Review resources about nursing values and professional ethics.
Review your identified population from previous discussions "Advocacy Priorities & Allegory of Orchard".
Consider the connection to nursing values and professional ethics to your identified advocacy priority.
Post a response detailing the following:
Describe the nursing values and professional ethics related to the advocacy priority identified for the selected population.
Why do our nursing values and ethics demand it be on the agenda?
Compare the role of law, ethics, or politics on the population identified in your Week 2 "Advocacy Area" Assignment. Consider which area (law, ethics, or politics) has the most impact on the area.
Full Answer Section
- Advocacy: Nurses act as patient advocates, and homeless youth often lack the resources or knowledge to advocate for their own mental health needs. Nurses can bridge this gap by advocating for policies and services that address their specific needs.
- Integrity: Acting with integrity means nurses should strive to create a healthcare system that serves all populations, including vulnerable groups like homeless youth.
Why Address This Now?
- Urgent Need: Homeless youth face high rates of mental health issues due to trauma, social isolation, and limited access to support. Ignoring this need leads to further suffering and potential long-term consequences.
- Long-Term Impact: Providing mental health services can help homeless youth overcome challenges, improve their quality of life, and potentially break the cycle of homelessness.
- Societal Benefit: Investing in mental health services for homeless youth can positively impact society by reducing crime rates, healthcare costs associated with untreated mental illness, and increasing productivity.
Law, Ethics, and Politics: A Comparison
- Law: Existing laws might not adequately address the specific mental health needs of homeless youth. While laws set minimum standards, advocacy is needed to ensure sufficient funding and resources are allocated to provide comprehensive mental health services within the legal framework.
- Ethics: Nursing ethics compel nurses to advocate for the well-being of their patients, regardless of their social status or living situation. Even if the law doesn't explicitly mandate mental healthcare access for homeless youth, nurses have an ethical obligation to push for change.
- Politics: Ultimately, funding for social programs like mental health services comes from political processes. Nursing advocacy can influence policy decisions, raise awareness among politicians, and secure the resources needed to improve mental healthcare access for homeless youth.
Impact Comparison:
While law establishes the ground rules for healthcare access, it can be slow to adapt to evolving needs. Ethics guide professional behavior and compel nurses to act for the good of their patients. However, ethics rely on individual action and may not lead to immediate systemic change.
Politics acts as the driving force for allocating resources and implementing policies. Effective nursing advocacy can influence political agendas and secure funding for mental health programs specifically designed for homeless youth. Therefore, in this case,
politics has the most significant impact on improving mental health services for homeless youth. Nurses can leverage their ethics and understanding of patient needs to influence political processes and advocate for change.
Sample Answer
Advocacy Priority: Mental Health Services for Homeless Youth
Nursing Values and Professional Ethics:
Several core nursing values and ethics are deeply intertwined with advocating for mental health services for homeless youth:
- Human Dignity: Homeless youth deserve to be treated with respect and compassion, regardless of their circumstances. Nurses have an ethical obligation to advocate for their well-being and access to mental health services.
- Social Justice: Unequal access to healthcare, including mental health services, creates a significant gap in care for homeless youth. Nurses have a responsibility to promote social justice and work towards equitable access to healthcare resources.