Guardian Nurses Healthcare Advocates’ mission has always been clear: to help patients and their families navigate a complicated healthcare system while ensuring they receive the best possible care. Guardian Nurses’ experienced RNs step in when patients feel overwhelmed — coordinating appointments, asking the right questions at the doctor’s office, smoothing transitions between hospital and home, and advocating fiercely for members at every stage of care.
Then, four years ago, that model expanded when Damali N. Stansbury, LSW, MSW, joined the team as Guardian Nurses’ first full-time social worker. Her arrival added a new dimension to the organization’s advocacy — bringing together the clinical expertise of nurses with the social and emotional support of a licensed social worker.
Building on a Foundation of Advocacy
Stansbury describes her role simply: “I work alongside the nurses to advocate for their patients and also to identify social resources for those in need.”
Her support looks different for every member. Some need help securing disability benefits, Medicaid, or food assistance. Others may require reliable transportation to medical appointments. Sometimes the greatest need is a compassionate ear. “I provide a listening ear to those who may just need to vent and just talk because of the stress they may be going through at the time,” she explains. “What I like best about being an advocate is working to get them all the resources that they need, and making sure that they’re on a good footing.”
Team Effort
Guardian Nurses’ strength lies in its team-based model. Nurses often identify when a member’s needs go beyond medical advocacy and bring Stansbury in to address social determinants of health — whether it’s housing insecurity, financial strain, or caregiver burnout. Together, nurse and social worker provide wraparound support that not only helps patients manage illness but also improves their quality of life.
That collaboration is what Stansbury finds so rewarding: “I definitely would encourage other social workers to consider Guardian Nurses. What I like about Guardian Nurses is that it’s a team effort. We are a team. They’re very inclusive. And it also allows you to think outside the box. These are the type of things that I would suggest or how I would help my own family members. That’s how I feel that I’m treating them — that they’re my own family.”
Meeting Patients Where They Are
One patient’s story captures Stansbury’s approach. A hardworking, family-oriented man became seriously ill and suddenly found himself unable to work. With no income, he worried less about his health and more about how to continue providing for his family. When Stansbury suggested applying for disability benefits, Medicaid, and food assistance, he resisted at first — pride made him hesitant to accept help.
But Stansbury gently reframed the process as temporary support, not a permanent solution. She sat with him, step by step, to complete applications and secure resources. When he later received devastating medical news and stopped responding to calls, Stansbury and a Guardian Nurses advocate drove to his home unannounced. He admitted he feared he had disappointed them, but their presence reminded him he wasn’t alone.
From that point on, he trusted their guidance. Together, they stabilized his situation with financial and healthcare supports, giving him the breathing room to focus on recovery. “It’s about suffering together,” Stansbury reflects. “Compassion isn’t just pity — it’s walking through it with someone.”
Stansbury often reminds patients that her job is to “work herself out of the job,” meaning she hopes to leave them empowered and stable enough to move forward independently. That philosophy mirrors Guardian Nurses’ approach: advocacy is not just about solving today’s crisis, but giving patients and families the tools, knowledge, and confidence to face tomorrow.
Whether it’s accompanying a member to an appointment, helping secure vital resources, or simply knocking on a patient’s door to make sure they’re okay, Stansbury’s work demonstrates the power of joining clinical excellence with human connection.
Looking Ahead
By blending the skill of registered nurses with the social insight of a licensed social worker, Guardian Nurses is raising the bar for patient advocacy. Stansbury’s role has already proven invaluable, and she has paved the way for what may become a broader team of social workers in the future.
Her impact is clear: patients know they have someone in their corner who listens, cares, and walks beside them. As one patient once told her, “When you find somebody that cares, you hang on to them.”