Health assets in nursing documentation of cancer care

Patients' experiences, knowledge and preferences, as well as more person-centered care need to be implemented in clinical support systems and are central values and outcomes of eHealth. Health assets represent such information. The concept of health assets was explored and described based on analysis of nursing documentation in cancer patients' records. A convenience sample from 100 records, available from a larger study, resulted in 43 records that met the inclusion criteria. These were analyzed using content analysis methods. A mean of 3.2 health assets was documented in these records, and 61% of the descriptions of assets quoted patients. Assets were found most often in the admission notes (49%), but no information was found that described or indicated an intended use or follow up in the nursing documentation.