Therapeutic Inertia in Nursing: A Concept Analysis

Area of Science:

• Nursing Science
• Healthcare Management
• Clinical Practice

Background:

• Therapeutic inertia is under-explored in nursing, hindering its practical and theoretical application.
• Clarifying this concept is crucial for advancing nursing practice and patient care.
• Existing research primarily focuses on therapeutic inertia within medicine.

Purpose of the Study:

• To define therapeutic inertia in nursing.
• Identify its defining attributes, antecedents, and consequences.
• Establish empirical referents for future research and practice.

Main Methods:

• Concept analysis using Walker and Avant's eight-step method.
• Systematic review of 49 articles (2000-2024) and other relevant sources.
• Identification of key attributes, antecedents, and consequences.

Main Results:

• Key attributes include delayed decision-making, failure to escalate care, and insufficient evidence-based practice utilization.
• Antecedents involve ambiguous judgment, limited autonomy, and organizational barriers like high workloads.
• Consequences include worsened patient outcomes, increased readmissions, and clinician frustration/burnout.

Conclusions:

• A clarified definition of therapeutic inertia in nursing is established.
• This analysis supports future measurement and theoretical exploration of therapeutic inertia.
• Integration into evidence-based practice is facilitated by this conceptual clarity.