17. Nurses are the patient advocates in the hospital. Nurses are the primary patient advocates at most hospitals. Not only are they responsible for communicating the patient’s needs to doctors and other staff, but they also communicate information about problems to the hospital administration.
18. Nurses are responsible for protecting the patient’s dignity and privacy, respecting cultural wishes, and preparing them for examinations. Patients may enter the hospital with beliefs, needs and/or cultural practices that are at odds with typical hospital practices. The nurse should assess the patient’s cultural beliefs as part of the check-in process in order to reduce such conflicts
