title: Patient advocacy in the perioperative setting.
abstract: A descriptive study was undertaken to define patient advocacy and perioperative nurses' role as advocates and to investigate perioperative nurses' perceptions of behaviors that represent advocacy in the perioperative setting. A purposive sample of 163 perioperative RNs from upstate New York was invited to participate in the study. A total of 57 responses were returned, and 33 individuals participated in audiotaped interviews. The four overarching themes that emerged from the interviews include protection, communication/giving voice, doing, and comfort and caring. These interrelated, overlapping themes represent nurses' definition, role, and experiences of patient advocacy in the perioperative setting.
authors.affiliation: St. Peter's Hospital, Albany, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Heather J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Boyle
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D024802:Nurse's Role; D010344:Patient Advocacy; D013527:Perioperative Nursing