Nan Wetherhorn, RN, BSN, iRNPA and Paige Mitchell, RN, BSN

Healthcare is beautifully complex. With every new healthcare innovation comes new knowledge and technology with it. Because it is so complex, it can be overwhelming and confusing to the patients who just seek healing. That’s where we come in. RN patient advocates.

There are many types of patient advocates that range from assisting patients with medical billing, insurance questions, legal assistance, so on and so forth. RN patient advocates aim to help you navigate our complex healthcare system with ease.

So what is a RN Patient Advocate?

We are exactly what the title says, but let’s break it down.

Registered Nurse aka RN: So, we are registered nurses, typically with experience in the healthcare setting. I say this because, in my experience, what draws us to this profession is our experience in the medical field. We have seen and experienced the breakdown of the communication in our healthcare system and we strive to help connect the missing links of poor communication. As a registered nurse, we have medical experience. We understand the medical jargon that doctors use so we can explain it and help you to better understand. We can help you to interpret lab results, prepare you for procedures and to further understand medications and their expected side effects.

Patient: Our clients or patients are our top priority. Our patient’s give us purpose and we want to help provide the best possible healthcare outcomes for them. With the patient being the center of attention, that means we support your own decisions by presenting all the information and resources you need. We will respect those decisions and help you follow through with your choices.

Advocate: To advocate means to support or recommend a particular cause. Through advocacy, we help our patient’s by presenting information to help support them in making tough decisions. This means we help to give you all the tools necessary to maintain your autonomy and ability to make your own educated decisions that will result in you reaching your healthcare goals.

So, to put it simply, an RN patient advocate helps you to navigate the healthcare system. Our goal is to help you have the best possible healthcare outcomes with the least amount of stress along the way. With our experience we can anticipate the road blocks before they even happen. We can foresee complications you might encounter and prepare you for them.

You might be wondering “When would I need a RN patient advocate?”  The simplest answer is ALWAYS! You never know when you or a family member will have a major medical emergency and tough decisions might arise. The sooner you have a RN patient advocate, the easier it is to make those decisions when necessary. With an established relationship, you and the RN patient advocate will be able to build the trust and understanding necessary in difficult times.

Waste no more time and contact a RN patient advocate today. Not only will this ease your own concerns, but will ease the pressure on your family as well.