Potential for Self-Management in Chronic Care: Nurses' Assessments of Patients

Although self-management interventions are, to some extent, individualized in clinical practice, the decision-making process is not fully understood. Exploring nurses' clinical reasoning about how and to what extent they currently tailor self-management support can provide new insights, enhancing process and outcome of chronic care.

The aim of this study was to explore how nurses assess chronic patients concerning the potential of self-management and clinical reasoning with regard to tailoring care to the individual patient.

A qualitative study was conducted using grounded theory. Semistructured interviews were held with 15 nurses working within chronic care. All interviews were carried out from February to July 2013.

All nurses provided individualized care; however, a nurse's view of self-management influenced how tailoring was performed. Substantial differences were seen in patient assessments and how care was individualized. Patients' motivation, capacities, mindset, needs, and preferences were obtained through communication, experience, intuition, and trusting relationships. A typology with four patient types emerged: the unmotivated patient, the patient with limited capacities, the oblivious patient, and the ideal patient. Nurses elaborated on using different approaches for patients in each of these groups.

A nurse's perception of self-management substantially impacted how care was individualized. Patient assessment was the key driver of tailoring, which was performed in various ways, and influenced how and the extent to which care was individualized. To enable responding to the unique wishes and needs of individual patients, both scientific and educational efforts need to be directed toward systematic assessments of patient capacity to self-manage their disease.