Decision-making and nurse case management: a philosophical perspective.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Practice
• Healthcare Management
• Ethics

Background:

• Home care case management involves balancing client-centered and system-centered goals.
• Resource allocation decisions in home care present complex challenges.
• Existing theoretical frameworks may not fully address practical nursing dilemmas.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the ethical and economic dimensions of resource allocation in home care nursing.
• To analyze the variability in decision-making among home care case managers.
• To propose a philosophical perspective for practical interpretation of these issues.

Main Methods:

• The study adopts a philosophical approach, utilizing moderate realism.
• It analyzes decision-making processes within home care case management practice.
• Comparative analysis with critical and feminist theory is employed.

Main Results:

• Ethical dilemmas arise in distributing resources equitably for appropriate service levels.
• Economic constraints significantly impact resource availability and decision-making.
• Variability in case manager decision-making is a notable factor.

Conclusions:

• Moderate realism offers a practical lens for understanding resource allocation challenges in home care.
• Addressing ethical and economic factors is crucial for effective case management.
• Further research can refine theoretical approaches to support nursing practice.