Oncology Nurses’ Role in Promoting Patient Self-Advocacy

Teaching patients with cancer the skill of self-advocacy shifts the focus of their cancer care on what is important to them, leading to optimized patient-centered care. As oncology nurses, providing support to our patients as they self-advocate to get their needs met fosters a collaborative relationship, creating an environment in which patients feel comfortable verbalizing their needs and concerns. This article provides oncology nurses with background knowledge of self-advocacy; key ways in which they can support patients in self-advocating; and a case study to provide contextual understanding of how and why nurses can promote patient self-advocacy.