As a nurse practitioner, I have attended many patients in a variety of clinical settings — but I had never been a patient in a skilled nursing facility. I recently had a knee replacement and was transferred to a rehabilitation center where I became a patient in need of short-term care.
Here are my suggestions for how a patient can become an effective and proactive “self-advocate” for one’s own health care and well-being:
Always , there are standard federally protected patient rights, including:
— A patient has the right to informed consent.
— A patient has the right to refuse treatment.
— Deborah A. Taubman, San Diego
