The Patient Experience With Shared Decision Making: A Qualitative Descriptive Study

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Healthcare Communication
• Patient Engagement

Background:

• Shared decision-making (SDM) involves a nurse-patient partnership but requires specific nursing actions.
• The knowledge and behaviors nurses need to facilitate SDM are not well understood.
• Existing literature lacks detailed insights into the nurse's role in initiating and sustaining SDM.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore nurses' and patients' experiences with shared decision-making.
• To identify the essential nursing actions that promote patient involvement in decision-making.
• To understand the patient perspective on nurse-led shared decision-making processes.

Main Methods:

• A qualitative descriptive study utilizing Coalizzi's method.
• Semistructured interviews were conducted with patients to gather in-depth experiences.
• Thematic analysis was employed to identify recurring patterns and themes.

Main Results:

• Three key themes emerged from patient interviews regarding shared decision-making.
• Nurses actively drawing patients into dialogue was a significant factor.
• Inviting patient participation in conversations directly contributed to shared decisions.

Conclusions:

• Nurses' proactive engagement and conversational approach are crucial for successful shared decision-making.
• Specific nursing behaviors, such as inviting participation, facilitate patient involvement.
• This study provides valuable insights for nurses, particularly infusion nurses, to enhance SDM practices.