Greater National Advocates Blog

By now, many people may have heard that a former nurse at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, RaDonda Vaught, was convicted of negligent homicide in late March, for giving a wrong drug that led to patient death in 2017. This Friday the 13th, she...

Another 3 a.m. I could hear my husband’s slow regular breathing. David had finally fallen asleep in the hospital bed which would be his home for several weeks. I, the sentinel, remained ever alert a few feet away in our bed. Watchful yet...

Anna’s hospital allowed only one vaccinated visitor for non-Covid patients per day and only from 10 am to 5 pm. While both parents had flown in to support their adult daughter, as a family, they decided that her mom would be the designated daily...

Family and friend caregivers play one of the most important but overlooked watchdog roles in the hospital: tracking the many medications dispensed to their loved ones. By being present at bedside, caregivers can become familiar with medications...

I think we’re all aware that there is a mental health crisis in this country. As a result, it can be really difficult to find a therapist who has availability, much less a therapist with availability who is in your health insurance network. Are...

By Annette Ticoras, MD, BCPA The relationship between you and your physician is an important one. Establishing trust and open communication can be the difference between preventative measures and a serious health crisis. Most physicians genuinely...

This is the story of a family tradition that quite literally became “the gift that keeps on giving”. This is how my family handled important communication, especially wishes contained in advance directives. I write this now in observance of NHDD...

Written and submitted by Ilene Corina https://www.gnanow.org/advocates/ilenecorina Could This Letter Be Going to Your Medical Practice? (Names have been removed)   Dear Office Manager, I am writing this letter with much regret. As a...

I often am asked the question, “how can a private patient advocate help while someone is in the hospital?” The healthcare team at the hospital includes so many people already, for example doctors, physician assistants, nurses, case...

VACATIONS! Who doesn't love a break? Sunning, hiking, swimming, socializing, reading, or whatever your relaxing pleasures are, it's so worth the time to get away from it all. Imagine you've planned for months, worked extra hours to catch up at...

Over the past few months, I have shared how my mom experienced a fall that resulted in left-sided fractures of her shoulder and foot and prevented her from bearing weight on her left side for 12 weeks. In preparation for her return home from the...

Guest Blog: This blog was written ad submitted by Courtney Rosenfeld, the creator of gigspark . Rosenfeld is a writer who covers topics that explore Lifestyle, mental health, the gig economy, and other related topics. Health and wellness is one of...

This is the third in a series of blogs written by patient advocacy pioneer and longtime educator, Karen Mercereau. Hello everyone, I am Karen Mercereau, RN, iRNPA, and I have been actively involved in the field of Patient Advocacy since 2002. I...

Guest Blog: This Press Release was written and submitted by David Halperin, Director of Communication at Pulse CPSEA. In a unique symposium presented by Pulse Center for Patient Safety Education & Advocacy on March 18th-19th, a remarkable...

Alisa Baker, RN is a patient advocate from Lawrence, KS. Since the beginning of the pandemic, she's been a traveling nurse and she has a story to tell... From my perspective as a traveling nurse, independent patient advocacy is more important than...