Expanding the advocacy lens: using photo-elicitation to capture patients' and physicians' perspectives about health advocacy.

Heath advocacy (HA) remains a difficult competency to train and assess, in part because practicing physicians and learners carry uncertainty about what HA means and we are missing patients' perspectives about the role HA plays in their care. Visual methods are useful tools for exploring nebulous topics in health professions education; using these participatory approaches with physicians and patients might counteract the identified training challenges around HA and more importantly, remedy the exclusion of patient perspectives. In this paper we share the verbal and visual reflections of patients and physicians regarding their conceptualizations of, and engagement in 'everyday' advocacy. In doing so, we reveal some of HA's hidden dimensions and what their images uncovered about the role of advocacy in patient care. Constructivist grounded theory guided data collection and analysis. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews and photo-elicitation, a visual research method that uses participant generated photographs to elicit participants knowledge and experiences around a particular topic. We invited patients living with chronic health conditions (n = 10) and physicians from diverse medical and surgical specialties (n = 14) to self-select photographs representing their experiences navigating HA in their personal and professional lives. Both groups found taking photographs useful for revealing the nuanced and circumstantial factors that either enabled or challenged their engagement in HA. While patients' photos highlighted their embodiment of HA, physicians' photos depicted HA as something quite elusive or as a complicated and daunting task. Photo-elicitation was a powerful tool in eliciting a diversity of perspectives that exist around the HA role and the work advocates perform; training programs might consider using visuals to augment teaching for this challenging competency.

Protocols as curriculum? Learning health advocacy skills by working with transgender patients in the context of gender-affirming medicine.

Evidenced by leading journals in academic medicine, health professions education has taken up the call to advance equitable healthcare. One pressing area where gaps and inequities are apparent is transgender (trans) people's access to gender-affirming medicine such as hormones and surgeries. Reasons for the dire state of care include education gaps. While specific content knowledge has been identified as lacking in medical school curricula, less research has focused on the complex social practices required of clinicians and educators working in gender-affirming medicine, and how these skills are learned through practice. In order to inform health professions education in this key area of need, we conducted a study to better understand the social practices, and the learning that occurs therein, of gender-affirming medicine. We identified the work processes of 22 clinicians, clinician-educators, trans patients, and clinical care administrators with attention to how policies and protocols influenced practice, learning, and teaching. The results of our study elucidate: (1) that practicing of gender-affirming medicine is strictly dictated by standardized assessment protocols, which serve as a form of curriculum; and (2) how health professionals learn and teach health advocacy as a form of resistance to protocols identified as creating inequities. These findings suggest an opportunity to view protocols-and their inherent limitations-more deliberately as teaching and learning tools, specifically for learning advocacy.

Health Advocacy for Busy Professionals: Effective Advocacy With Little Time.

Health advocacy is a central responsibility for health educators and public health practitioners, as documented clearly in our professional competencies. Professional organizations such as the Society for Public Health Education and the American Public Health Association undertake frequent advocacy initiatives and strive to engage their members in advocacy strategies on a regular basis. Despite this understanding and advocacy training requirements in academic preparation programs for public health professionals, students and emerging professionals often lack advocacy experience. In this article, we provide descriptions of multiple effective health advocacy strategies spread across the time intensity spectrum, in order of least time intensive to most. Advocates may select the best strategy based on the needs of their target audience, the amount of time and energy they have for the task, and the level of confidence they have in practicing the strategy itself.

Pharmacy Students Practicing Health Advocate Competency Roles in Workplace-Based Training.

OBJECTIVE: Health advocacy competency roles are found in the educational outcomes of many health disciplines, yet their development is neglected in the professional curriculum and clinical learning environment. We explored how pharmacy students conceptualize health advocacy through their practice in workplace-based learning and any feedback they receive. METHODS: We conducted a longitudinal diary study of Canadian pharmacy students completing Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences in hospital and community practices in their graduating year. At pre-determined intervals, 25 students recorded workplace-based activities they recognized as health advocacy and any feedback they received from supervisors, patients, or other staff. Written diary data from 180 records were analyzed by 5 researchers according to inductive content analysis steps and principles. RESULTS: Pharmacy student records reflecting health advocacy roles were organized into 5 categories including, (1) disease prevention; (2) health promotion; (3) seamless care; (4) usual pharmacist care; and (5) professional advocacy. Although many activities were consistent with current competency role descriptions, they do not reflect educational outcomes associated with patient- or systems-level support necessary to address socio-political determinants of health. Although Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience in training evaluation reports included scores for items related to health advocacy competency, few students confirmed receiving specific written or verbal feedback. CONCLUSION: Pharmacy students construct health advocacy roles in workplace-based training through biomedical-oriented practices with little direct input offered by supervisors. Pharmacy educational outcomes require contemporary updates to health advocacy competency descriptions which offer examples for practical enactment at system-level and recommendations for feedback and assessment.

Understanding the public voices and researchers speaking into the 5G narrative.

The many different voices speaking into the current narrative surrounding the health effects of 5G technologies necessitate an exploration of the background of the various published author-spokespersons and their potential motives. This has been attempted recently by de Vocht and Albers. However, that opinion piece used a narrow investigative lens, resulting in an undermining of both the rationality of the concerned general public and the motives of specific researchers. At the same time, biases, conflicts of interest, and flaws found in "independent" reviews were not considered. To address these oversights, an evidence-based appraisal of public opinion and the scientific caliber of authors involved in the 5G health discussion is warranted. Subsequently, this review article presents an analysis of the available Australian data representing public voices, while also conducting a broader investigation of the level of expertise of recent author-spokespersons based on their experience as scientists, particularly in the area of health effects of radiofrequency electromagnetic fields. This review thus attempts to more clearly illustrate for the reader the caliber and motives of the voices speaking into the 5G narrative. The article concludes with a set of questions that need to be answered to enable scientists to advise policy makers more effectively on matters of 5G and public health.

Training for mental health professionals in responding to experienced and anticipated mental health-related discrimination (READ-MH): protocol for an international multisite feasibility study.

BACKGROUND: Mental health and other health professionals working in mental health care may contribute to the experiences of stigma and discrimination among mental health service users but can also help reduce the impact of stigma on service users. However, few studies of interventions to equip such professionals to be anti-stigma agents took place in high-income countries. This study assesses the feasibility, potential effectiveness and costs of Responding to Experienced and Anticipated Discrimination training for health professionals working in mental health care (READ-MH) across low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). METHODS: This is an uncontrolled pre-post mixed methods feasibility study of READ-MH training at seven sites across five LMICs (China, Ethiopia, India, Nepal and Tunisia). OUTCOME MEASURES: knowledge based on course content, attitudes to working to address the impact of stigma on service users and skills in responding constructively to service users' reports of discrimination. The training draws upon the evidence bases for stigma reduction, health advocacy and medical education and is tailored to sites through situational analyses. Its content, delivery methods and intensity were agreed upon through a consensus exercise with site research teams. READ-MH will be delivered to health professionals working in mental health care immediately after baseline data collection; outcome measures will be collected post-training and 3 months post-baseline, followed by qualitative data collection analysed using a combined deductive and inductive approach. Fidelity will be rated during the delivery of READ-MH, and data on training costs will be collected. Quantitative data will be assessed using generalised linear mixed models. Qualitative data will be evaluated by thematic analysis to identify feedback about the training methods and content, including the implementability of the knowledge and skills learned. Pooled and site-specific training costs per trainee and per session will be reported. CONCLUSIONS: The training development used a participatory and contextualised approach. Evaluation design strengths include the diversity of settings, the use of mixed methods, the use of a skills-based measure and the knowledge and attitude measures aligned to the target population and training. Limitations are the uncertain generalisability of skills performance to routine care and the impact of COVID-19 restrictions at several sites limiting qualitative data collection for situational analyses.

Facilitators of the health advocacy role practice of the nurse in Ghana: A qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Identifying facilitators of health advocacy role practice of nurses is important in reducing health disparities and inequities in Ghana. The struggle to reducing these disparities and inequities needs a combination of bravery, courage, and professionalism. In many instances, many barriers hinder nurses from practicing their health advocacy role in Ghana. Facilitators that motivate nurses who would perform this health advocacy role have not been identified and adequately described in Ghana. AIM: To explore and describe the facilitators of the health advocacy role of nurses in Ghana. METHODS: This qualitative study used Strauss and Corbin's grounded theory approach to collect and analyze data from 2018 to 2019 in three regions in Ghana. Semistructured interviews (n = 24) and field notes were used to collect data. RESULTS: Professional influence emerged as a core category among other three facilitators that motivate nurses to perform the health advocacy role. The other three are clientele influence, intrinsic influence, and cultural influence. CONCLUSIONS: Facilitators to the health advocacy role practice of nurses are multidimensional and hidden. In this respect, educating hospital managers on these facilitators should be done through workshops and seminars to enhance the managers' strategies of motivating nurses to advocate for the less privileged and the disadvantaged of the society.

Advocacy e condições de trabalho na universidade: Estratégia para o empoderamento do docente de enfermagem / Advocacy and working conditions at the university: A strategy for the empowerment of nursing teachers / Advocacy y condiciones laborales en la universidad: Estrategia para el empoderamiento del profesorado de enfermería

Resumo Enquadramento: No campo da enfermagem a advocacy procura contribuir no direito à saúde, que se insere no campo dos direitos humanos, pois está intrinsecamente relacionado ao direito de todos a uma vida saudável. Objetivo: Analisar a perceção de docentes sobre a advocacy na enfermagem e discutir as estratégias de promoção de advocacy para o trabalhador docente universitário de enfermagem. Metodologia: Estudo descritivo e exploratório, de abordagem qualitativa realizado em duas universidades públicas situadas no município do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. Os participantes foram 14 docentes de enfermagem. Utilizou-se o grupo focal e os dados foram analisados à luz da técnica de análise de conteúdo. Resultados: Destaca-se a advocacy como atividade imperativa para alcançar a defesa dos interesses da categoria profissional, bem como a utilização das mídias como estratégia de divulgação do trabalho da enfermagem, incluindo os docentes de enfermagem. Conclusão: A advocacy é uma estratégia de promoção e valorização dos docentes de enfermagem em universidades sendo necessário o investimento nessa estratégia como importante recurso para a promoção da valorização profissional.

Abstract Background: In nursing, advocacy seeks to contribute to the right to health, which is intrinsically related to the human right to a healthy life. Objective: To analyze university teachers' perceptions of advocacy in nursing and discuss strategies to promote advocacy for university nursing teachers. Methodology: A descriptive and exploratory study with a qualitative approach was carried out in two public universities in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The participants were 14 nursing teachers. A focus group was conducted, and data were analyzed using the content analysis technique. Results: Advocacy stands out as a crucial activity to defend the professional category's interests, using the media as a strategy for disseminating nursing work, including nursing teachers. Conclusion: An investment in advocacy is needed as it is a strategy for valuing university nursing teachers and promoting their professional development.

Resumen Marco contextual: En el ámbito de la enfermería, la advocacy pretende contribuir al derecho a la salud, que se enmarca en el ámbito de los derechos humanos, ya que está intrínsecamente relacionado con el derecho de todos a una vida sana. Objetivo: Analizar la percepción de los profesores sobre la advocacy en la enfermería y debatir estrategias para promover la advocacy para el trabajador docente universitario de enfermería. Metodología: Estudio descriptivo y exploratorio de enfoque cualitativo realizado en dos universidades públicas localizadas en el municipio de Río de Janeiro, Brasil. Los participantes fueron 14 profesores de enfermería. Se utilizó el grupo focal y los datos fueron analizados con la técnica de análisis de contenido. Resultados: Se destaca la advocacy como actividad imprescindible para lograr la defensa de los intereses de la categoría profesional, así como la utilización de los medios de comunicación como estrategia de difusión del trabajo de enfermería, incluidos los docentes de enfermería. Conclusión: La advocacy es una estrategia de promoción y valoración del profesorado de enfermería en las universidades y es necesario invertir en esta estrategia como recurso fundamental para la promoción de la valoración profesional.

Nursing and health advocacy: development process of an educational manual / Enfermería y defensa de la salud: proceso de elaboración de cartilla educativa / Enfermagem e a advocacia em saúde: processo de elaboração de cartilha educativa

ABSTRACT Objective: to describe the development and validation of an educational manual for nurses on the practice of health advocacy in their professional experience. Method the method used to develop the manual was composed of three stages carried out from 2018 to 2020: an integrative review of studies published from 2010 to 2018, development of the content, and validation of the educational manual by experts. Results: based on the integrative literature review, 91 final articles related to the theme of advocacy in health and nursing were selected, which subsidized the definition of four themes: The meaning and fundamental elements for the practice of advocacy in nursing; Advocacy in teaching and the involvement of other care actors; Advocacy as a professional, moral, and ethical obligation; Advocacy about specific population groups. The themes contributed to the development of the educational manual content. After submission and validation by specialists, it was possible to define the layout, size, number of pages, and final design of the educational manual, which will be printed and handed out to nursing professionals and students, and made available online. Conclusions: the elaboration and validation of the manual help to build knowledge related to the professional practice of the nursing team and the exercise of advocacy in health.

RESUMEN Objetivo describir la elaboración y validación de una cartilla educativa para enfermeros sobre el ejercicio de la abogacía en salud en su práctica profesional. Método para la elaboración de la cartilla se utilizó el método compuesto de tres etapas realizadas de 2018 a 2020: revisión integradora de estudios publicados en el período de 2010 a 2018, construcción del contenido y valoración de la cartilla educativa por parte de especialistas. Resultados: a partir de la revisión bibliográfica integradora, se seleccionaron 91 artículos finales relacionados con el tema de la abogacía en salud y enfermería, que subvencionaron la definición de cuatro temas: Del significado y elementos fundamentales para la práctica de la abogacía en enfermería; La abogacía en la enseñanza y la participación de otros actores del cuidado; La abogacía como obligación profesional, moral y ética; La abogacía en relación con grupos de población específicos. Los temas contribuyeron a la construcción de los contenidos del folleto educativo. Tras la presentación y validación por parte de los expertos, se pudo definir la maquetación, el tamaño, el número de páginas y el diseño final del folleto educativo, que se imprimirá y distribuirá a los profesionales y estudiantes de enfermería, y estará disponible en línea. Conclusiones la elaboración y validación del cuaderno contribuye a la construcción de conocimientos relacionados con la práctica profesional del equipo de enfermería y el ejercicio de la abogacía en salud.

RESUMO Objetivo: descrever a elaboração e validação de uma cartilha educativa para enfermeiros sobre o exercício da advocacia em saúde em sua prática profissional. Método para a elaboração da cartilha foi utilizado o método composto de três etapas realizadas de 2018 a 2020: revisão integrativa de estudos publicados no período de 2010 a 2018, construção do conteúdo e validação da cartilha educativa por especialistas. Resultados com base na revisão integrativa de literatura, foram selecionados 91 artigos finais relacionados ao tema de advocacia em saúde e enfermagem e que subsidiaram a definição de quatro temas: Do sentido e elementos fundamentais para a prática de advocacia em enfermagem; Advocacia no ensino e o envolvimento de outros atores do cuidado; Advocacia como obrigação profissional, moral e ética; Advocacia com relação a grupos específicos da população. Os temas contribuíram para a construção dos conteúdos da cartilha educativa. Depois de realizar o envio e a validação por especialistas, foi possível definir a diagramação, dimensão, quantidade de páginas e o design final da cartilha educativa, que será impressa e distribuída aos profissionais e estudantes de enfermagem e disponibilizada online. Conclusões: a elaboração e validação da cartilha contribui para a construção de conhecimentos relacionados à prática profissional da equipe de enfermagem e o exercício da advocacia em saúde.

Advocacia para a promoção da saúde: sentidos e abordagens na formação do enfermeiro / Advocacy for health promotion: meanings and approaches in the training of nurses / Abogacía en promoción de la salud: sentidos y enfoques en la formación en enfermería

Objetivos: analisar entre docentes e discentes a compreensão sobre advocacia em saúde, assim como a abordagem do tema na formação do enfermeiro. Método: os dados foram obtidos por entrevistas com 10 docentes e 11 estudantes da graduação em Enfermagem de uma universidade pública no estado de Minas Gerais. Os dados foram analisados utilizando-se a análise crítica do discurso. Resultados: os resultados revelam indefinição em relação à advocacia em saúde no discurso dos participantes. Encontrou-se diversidade de sentidos atribuídos ao termo, quer seja na defesa do direito jurídico, como na defesa dos direitos do usuário fundamentada na participação social pela construção da cidadania. Os dados permitem inferir que o conceito de advocacia em saúde não é reconhecido como campo trabalhado na formação profissional. Conclusão: concluiu-se, neste contexto, que advocacia em saúde imprime uma concepção utópica na defesa da saúde, não vislumbrando aplicação efetiva na realidade.(AU)

Objective: to analyze the understanding on health advocacy among professors and students, as well as the approach to the theme in the training of nurses. Method: the data were obtained by means of interviews with 10 professors and 11 undergraduate Nursing students of a public university in the state of Minas Gerais. The data were analyzed using critical discourse analysis. Results: the results reveal certain indefinition in relation to health advocacy in the discourse of the participants. Diversity of meanings attributed to the term was found, both in the defense of the legal right and in the defense of the users' rights, with the rationale of social participation by the construction of citizenship. The data allow inferring that the concept of health advocacy is not recognized as a field worked on in the professional training. Conclusion: in this context, it is concluded that health advocacy impresses a Utopian conception upon the defense of health, not discerning its effective application to reality.(AU)

Objetivo: docentes y alumnos analizan cómo se entiende la abogacía en salud y cómo se enfoca dicho asunto en la formación de los enfermeros. Método: los datos se obtuvieron por medio de entrevistas con 10 docentes y 11 estudiantes de pregrado de enfermería de una universidad pública del estado de Minas Gerais y se analizaron según el análisis crítico del discurso. Resultados: en el discurso de los participantes los resultados revelan incertidumbre con respecto a la abogacía en salud. Encontramos una diversidad de significados atribuidos al término, ya sea en la defensa del derecho legal, como en la defensa de los derechos de los usuarios basados en la participación social a través de la construcción de la ciudadanía. Los datos nos permiten inferir que el concepto de abogacía en salud no se reconoce como un campo que se trabaja en...(AU)

Ações dos enfermeiros no exercício da advocacia do paciente: revisão integrativa / Acciones de enfermeras en el ejercicio de la defensa del paciente: revisión integradora / Actions of nurses in the exercise of patient advocacy: an integrative review

RESUMO: Objetivo: identificar as ações dos enfermeiros no exercício da advocacia do paciente, na literatura científica internacional publicada nos últimos dez anos. Método: revisão integrativa da literatura, cujos dados foram coletados na base de dados Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature e SAGE Journals Online, utilizando-se os descritores "patient advocacy" e "nursing", sendo encontrados 27 artigos. Resultados: como resultados, emergiram duas categorias: ações de advocacia exercidas por enfermeiros em diferentes nações e culturas; e ações de advocacia nos diferentes ambientes de atuação dos enfermeiros. Conclusão: acredita-se que os achados deste estudo poderão contribuir para a produção de pesquisas e conhecimentos em enfermagem, ampliando a compreensão da advocacia do paciente como um componente ético da prática dos enfermeiros.

RESUMEN Objetivo: identificar las acciones de los enfermeros en ejercicio de defensa de los pacientes en la literatura científica internacional publicada en los últimos diez años. Método: revisión integrativa de literatura, y los datos fueron recogidos en la base de datos Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature y SAGE Journals Online, utilizando los descriptores "patient advocacy" y "nursing", siendo encontrado 27 artículos. Resultados: como resultado, emergieron dos categorías: las acciones de defensa ejercitadas por enfermeros e n diferentes naciones y culturas; las acciones de defensa en los distintos ámbitos de acción de los las enfermeros. Conclusión: se considera que los resultados de este estudio pueden contribuir a la producción de la investigación y el conocimiento en la enfermería, la ampliación de la comprensión de la defensa de los pacientes como un componente ético de la práctica de enfermería.

ABSTRACT Objective: to identify the actions of nurses when advocating for patients as reported by the international scientific literature published in the last ten years. Method: integrative literature review with data collected from the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature database and SAGE Journals Online, using the key words "patient advocacy" and "nursing"; 27 papers were identified. Results: two categories emerged: advocacy actions performed by nurses from different countries and cultures; and advocacy actions performed by nurses in different healthcare settings. Conclusion: this study's findings are expected to contribute to research and knowledge in the field of nursing, broadening understanding of patient advocacy as an ethical component of the nursing practice.

Advocacia do paciente na enfermagem: barreiras, facilitadores e possíveis implicações / Defensa del paciente en enfermería: barreras, facilitadores y las posibles implicaciones / Patient advocacy in nursing: barriers, facilitators and potential implications

RESUMO Objetivo: realizar uma reflexão acerca das barreiras, facilitadores e possíveis implicações do exercício da advocacia do paciente pelos enfermeiros. Resultados: essa reflexão resulta de uma leitura minuciosa da literatura internacional acerca da advocacia do paciente, acrescida de estudos nacionais e internacionais acerca do sofrimento moral e suas relações com o exercício da advocacia. Conclusão: as barreiras diante do exercício da advocacia do paciente são notórias, pautando-se na própria estrutura organizacional das instituições de saúde e nas relações de poder entre equipes médica e de enfermagem, desafiando e desencorajando os enfermeiros a agirem de acordo com seus conhecimentos e consciências, implicando, muitas vezes, em situações reconhecidas como de sofrimento moral.

RESUMEN Objetivo: realizar una reflexión sobre las barreras, facilitadores y las posibles consecuencias del ejercicio de la defensa de los pacientes por enfermeras. Resultados: esta reflexión resulta de una lectura exhaustiva de la literatura internacional en defensa de los pacientes, como estudios nacionales e internacionales acerca de la angustia moral y su relación con la práctica de la defensa de los pacientes. Conclusión: los obstáculos al ejercicio de la defensa de los pacientes son notorios, basándose en la estructura organizativa de las instituciones de salud y de las relaciones de poder entre los equipos de médicos y enfermeros, desafiando y desencorajando los enfermeras para actuar de acuerdo con sus conocimientos y conciencia, resultando a menudo en situaciones consideradas como sufrimiento moral.

ABSTRACT Objective: to promote reflection upon the barriers, facilitators and potential implications of patient advocacy on the part of nurses. Results: this reflection results from a thorough reading of the international literature addressing patient advocacy along with Brazilian and international studies addressing moral distress and its relationship with patient advocacy. Conclusion: the barriers imposed on patient advocacy are well-known and such constraints are based on the organizational structure of health institutions and power relationships established between doctors and nurses, challenging and discouraging nurses from acting in accordance with their knowledge and conscience, often leading to a condition known as moral distress.

HOW HAVE NURSES PRACTICED PATIENT ADVOCACY IN THE HOSPITAL CONTEXT? - A FOUCAULTIAN PERSPECTIVE / CÓMO ENFERMEROS VEEN EJERCENDO LA DEFENSA DEL PACIENTE EN EL CONTEXTO DEL HOSPITAL? - UNA PERSPECTIVA FOUCULTIANA / COMO ENFERMEIROS VÊM EXERCENDO A ADVOCACIA DO PACIENTE NO CONTEXTO HOSPITALAR? - UMA PERSPECTIVA FOUCAULTIANA

Objetivou-se conhecer como os enfermeiros vêm exercendo a advocacia do paciente no contexto hospitalar. Realizou-se uma pesquisa qualitativa, do tipo exploratório-descritiva, em um hospital universitário do Sul do Brasil. Foram respondentes da pesquisa 16 enfermeiros, selecionados por meio de amostragem não probabilística, do tipo bola de neve. Para a coleta de dados, foram realizadas entrevistas semiestruturadas, gravadas e transcritas, analisadas mediante análise textual discursiva e referencial teórico foucaultiano. Como resultados, emergiram duas categorias: a coragem de verdade: o exercício da advocacia mediado pelo diálogo franco; estratégias de resistência para o exercício da advocacia do paciente. Conclui-se que a estabilidade profissional e o apoio da instituição contribuem para que os enfermeiros se sintam encorajados a exercer a advocacia, mesmo diante de situações de difícil enfrentamento, utilizando-se da parrésia e de estratégias de resistência para garantir a defesa efetiva dos interesses dos pacientes.

Este estudio tuvo como objetivo conocer cómo los enfermeros están practicando la defensa del paciente en el contexto del hospital. Se realizó una investigación cualitativa, exploratorio- descriptiva, en un hospital universitario en el sur de Brasil. Los encuestados fueron 16 enfermeros, seleccionados mediante muestreo no probalístico, del tipo bola de nieve. Para recopilar los datos, fueron realizadas encuestas semi-estructuradas, grabadas y transcritas, analizadas mediante análisis textual discursivo y referencial teórico foucaultiano. Como resultados, emergieron dos categorías: el coraje de verdad: el ejercicio de la defensa mediada por el diálogo franco; estrategias de resistencias para el ejercicio de la defensa de los pacientes. Se concluye que la estabilidad profesional y el apoyo de la institución contribuyen para que los enfermeros se sientan encorajados a practicar la defensa, mismo en situaciones difíciles de enfrentamiento, utilizándose de la parresia y de estrategias de resistencia para asegurar la defensa efectiva de los intereses de los pacientes.

This study aimed to discover how nurses have exercised patient advocacy in the hospital context. A qualitative, exploratory-descriptive research was carried out at a university hospital in the South of Brazil. The respondents were 16 nurses, chosen through non-probable snowball sampling. For data collection, semi-structured interviews were conducted, recorded, transcribed and analyzed by discursive textual analysis and the Foucaultian philosophical reference framework. Two categories resulted from the discursive textual analysis: the real courage: exercise of advocacy mediated by open dialogue; strategies of resistance for the exercise of patient advocacy. It is concluded that professional stability and the institution's support help nurses to feel encouraged to exercise advocacy, even when facing with situations that are hard to deal with, using parrhesia and strategies of resistance to ensure the effective defense of the patients' interests.