The "Family Advocate" is an experienced nurse employed by the family to provide them with all of the information that they need to completely understand all that there is to know about what is happening to their family member. This will include the patient's entire past medical history, the knowledge of why the patient has been admitted to the hospital, everything that the hospital currently knows about the patient, and which direction the doctors want to go regarding the patient's care.

The "Family Advocate" will take all the time necessary to explain test and procedure results, communicate family concerns to the doctor or the hospital staff, and, if appropriate, reassure the family that all is progressing well. A hospital experience is a very stressful time. The "Family Advocate" will stay with the family as long as the family needs to fully understand and become comfortable with all they need to know.

The "Family Advocate's" loyalties lie with the family. In this way, the family will have someone in their corner who will help facilitate positive and constructive communication between the hospital staff, doctors and nurses. This will help the family learn of critical information and decisions impacting the patient's care and ultimately, the patient's healthcare outcome. This will help the hospital and medical staff by increasing information flow between the caregivers and the patient's family.

When the family has questions that arise, the "Family Advocate" can find answers and explanations to present to them. This will help relieve the hospital and its staff from the very time-consuming task of explaining every detail of every process and procedure needed to complete the task of making the patient well again.

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Michael Kennedy RN, BSN, LNC
10999 Reed Hartman Hwy
Suite 304-H
Cincinnati, OH 45242
513.891.5088 (phone)
513.546.4118 (cell)
michael@thefamilyadvocate.com (email)