Welcome to a new and rewarding chapter in your nursing career—Independent Patient Advocacy. As nurses, we are the cornerstone of patient care, ensuring the well-being of those we serve. However, the healthcare system can be complex and overwhelming for patients and their families. This is where the role of an independent patient advocate becomes crucial.
Patient advocacy has evolved significantly as a career over the past few decades. This field focuses on supporting patients, families, and caregivers by navigating complex healthcare systems, ensuring patients’ rights are respected, and promoting quality care.
In this course, you will be provided with an overview of Nurse Patient Advocacy. At the end of the course, you will be introduced to a case scenario. Here we invite you to begin to think about how a real world opportunity to help a patient and her daughter, navigate the healthcare system could look like for you, as a Nurse Patient Advocate. Lastly there will be a 25-question quiz.
Overall, the training should require less than 3 hours.
Learning Objectives for Independent Patient Advocacy Program
- Understand the Role and Scope of Patient Advocacy
- Review Core Skills in Patient Communication and Care Coordination.
- Navigate the Healthcare System and Insurance Processes.
- Apply Ethical Principles and Legal Considerations in Patient Advocacy.
- Build and Market an Independent Patient Advocacy Practice.
- Understand and Utilize Tools to Document and Bill for Interactions and Services Provided to Patients.
- Understand and Develop a Comprehensive, Patient-centered, Multidisciplinary Team Approach to Meet Patient Needs
By the end of this program, you will have obtained an understanding of what it takes to transition from nursing into a fulfilling role as an independent patient advocate, either to work for someone else or to develop and own your own business. You will be prepared to support patients in navigating healthcare complexities, ensuring their rights and preferences are respected, and ultimately enhancing patient outcomes.
To further enhance your learning experience, we offer a Patient Advocacy Coaching Program. Students are coached and mentored, one- to- one, by the owner of Stepping Stone Advocacy Services, Lori Schellenberg. She has been an RN for 40+ years and a Certified Case Manager for 20+ years. She developed this training/coaching program to share with other nurses. She provides first-hand knowledge and experiences, tailoring the coaching experience to the individual needs of each student. She was driven to pay it forward with more educational support for nurses, as she waded through this new territory as a Nurse Patient Advocate and a business owner at Stepping Stone Advocacy Services.
About the Instructor:
Seizing Opportunities
A Personal Story of Career Pivots in Nursing
Lori’s story shows how seizing opportunities can reshape a career. Her journey began at the bedside, but curiosity led her to a home health role, where she enjoyed new freedom. When a manufacturing plant offered her a temporary role as an occupational health nurse, Lori hesitated—then took the leap. That decision opened doors she never imagined, giving her experience in worker’s compensation, OSHA regulations, and health program development.
As Lori moved from one role to another, she discovered how transferable her nursing skills were. She brought clinical insight into business roles, mentoring new case managers, marketing programs, and helping companies grow. Every pivot added new layers to her career, teaching her that uncertainty wasn’t a barrier—it was a chance to evolve.
Building partnerships became essential. When an orthopedic surgeon needed help managing worker’s compensation cases, Lori guided him and even helped him launch an Independent Medical Exam business. These collaborations showed her that no journey is taken alone; shared goals and trust fuel success.
Later, retirement seemed like the next chapter, but it left Lori searching for purpose. A friend’s suggestion to explore patient advocacy reignited her passion. Lori immersed herself in learning, joining professional groups and building a vision: she could use her expertise not just to help patients but to mentor nurses looking to pivot away from the bedside.
Launching Stepping Stone Advocacy Services became her way of giving back. Through her advocacy, Lori supports patients navigating the healthcare system while mentoring nurses seeking new paths. Her story—marked by resilience, collaboration, and constant reinvention—proves it’s never too late to embrace change and take control of your career.
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