Observations, confirmations and strategies - useful tools in decision-making process for nurses in practice?
The aim of the study was to describe how nurses make decisions on measures in clinical practice. The data-collection method consisted of audio-taped interviews with six nurses. The interviews were then transcribed verbatim. The questions in the interviews were based on nursing situations observed earlier when the nurses initiated and implemented patient-related measures and the focus was on the nurses' experience of decision making. A content analysis was performed. The results show that the nurses' decisions on measures were based on three themes: observation of cues related to the patient's situation, confirmation of information gathered and implementation of action strategies. The results are discussed in relation to earlier empirical research on decision-making activities in the nurse's clinical practice and the nurse's utilization of knowledge during the decision-making process. It is concluded that the nurse's awareness of the patient's situation, together with a well-founded basis for decisions, can have positive effects on the nursing care provided by the nurse.
Hedberg
Berith
B
University College of Health Sciences, Jönköping, Sweden. berith.hedberg@hhj.hj.se
Sätterlund Larsson
Ullabeth
U
D003463:Cues; D003657:Decision Making; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D009726:Nurses / Q000523:psychology*; D009732:Nursing Care; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009736:Nursing Process; D019370:Observation