Confronting confirmation bias about breast cancer screening with the four Cs

The tendency to resist evidence that doesn't support our own beliefs is a type of confirmation bias. Recent changes to recommendations for breast cancer screening underscore the need for nurses to maintain awareness of most recent and reliable evidence, evaluate women's family histories and encourage women to mitigate modifiable risks and make well-informed decisions. When advising women about breast cancer screening, nurses can employ an approach based on the four Cs: (1) commit to staying up-to-date with evidence; (2) convey understanding; (3) communicate the evidence and answer questions; and (4) collaborate with women on their plan for breast cancer screening.