Ethics of Advocacy

Advocacy is an important concept in nursing practice used to describe the nurse-client relationship. Patient advocacy encompasses patients’ rights. Nursing advocacy derives from the philosophy that everyone has the right to promote his or her own well-being, as understood by that individual. The concept of advocacy can be tricky when it comes to children (Kanne, 2011).
The field of ethics addresses how we ought to treat each other, how we ought to act, what we ought to do, and why. We manage ethical issues every day. Beneficence is an ethical principle that addresses the idea that a nurse 's actions should promote good by doing what is best for the patient. The principle of justice is the moral obligation to be fair and equal. Autonomy is the right of competent adults to make informed decisions about their own medical care. The principle requires informed agreement of the patient before any investigation or treatment takes place (ANA). Children should still be informed, and we should get verbal consent for assessment, but a legal guardian must also give consent.
Ethical issues often arise when caring for children with psychiatric disorders because they are a vulnerable population. The UN Conventions on the Rights of the Child and the Rights of Persons with Disabilities set out rights to be respected in child and adolescent psychiatric assessment and treatment. Beneficence, justice and autonomy are core principles. The right of the child to protection,