Iranian nurses’ perceptions of patient advocacy

Background and Purpose: One of the most important elements of nursing ethics is patient advocacy, which instills patients&rsquo; sense of independence and autonomy. Nurses&rsquo; perceptions of this concept can significantly influence their advocacy role. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to assess nurses&rsquo; perceptions about this phenomenon. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 385 nurses were selected via quota sampling from three hospitals, affiliated to Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Iran in 2012. Data were collected, using a self-administered questionnaire for assessing nurses&rsquo; perceptions of patient advocacy (with a score range of -1 to 1). The obtained data were analyzed, using descriptive and inferential statistical tests. Results: As the results indicated, nurses&rsquo; perceptions about patient advocacy were relatively positive (0.73%). Moreover, there was a statistically significant relationship between patient advocacy and nurses&rsquo; educational level (P=0.01), working in different hospital wards (P<0.001), participation in workshops on patient rights (P<0.001) and working in different hospitals (P=0.01). Conclusion: In this study, nurses were highly responsible regarding patient advocacy, despite the fact that patient advocacy is not considered as a professional nursing role in Iran. However, further studies are required to confirm the obtained findings.