The decision-making process in critical care of the aged

Nurses in a critical care setting are challenged daily to provide safe, effective quality care for elderly patients. The decision process underlying this care is complex because of the amount, diversity, and uncertainty of information that must be processed. Some variables associated with the client, the nurse, and the critical care environment are irrelevant to the decision process, yet continue to influence nurses' decision making. Suboptimal and erroneous diagnoses and interventions may result. Awareness of factors that adversely affect decision making should assist nurses in enhancing their information processing. Use of objective and systematic decision-making techniques also can improve the efficiency and quality of decision making in the critical care of aging people.