Objectives: To define and distinguish informed decision-making (IDM) from shared decision-making (SDM) and review the evidence for technology-based interventions designed to facilitate informed decisions about cancer screening and treatment.
Data Sources: Peer-reviewed research articles from Medline and other data sources accessible through pubmed.gov.
Conclusion: There is evidence that multi-media decision aids (DAs) or support systems can improve quality of decision-making in terms of enhancing knowledge relevant to decision-making, reducing decisional conflict, and customizing education and coaching of patients with cancer.
Implications for Nursing Practice: Nurses have a key role to play in designing, deploying, monitoring, and evaluating multi-media DAs in oncology practice settings. DAs are an adjunct to interpersonal education, providing information to patients in both the clinical setting and in more familiar settings without the time constraints of clinical encounters. Nurses can adopt such DAs and support systems and work with patients to ensure that information has been comprehended, that values have been considered, and that patients play an active role in the decision-making process as they desire.
Written by:
Allen JD, Berry DL Are you the author?
Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
Reference: Semin Oncol Nurs. 2011 Aug;27(3):192-202
doi: 10.1016/j.soncn.2011.04.004
PubMed Abstract
PMID: 21783010
