Patient Preferences and Decision Making
Taking into account patient preferences is very essential in decision-making to ensure high-quality patient outcomes. An effective nurse-patient relationship is a fundamental aspect of nursing care (Hertog & Niessen, 2021). Open communication with the patient is highly recommended to acquire as much information as possible. Open communication also gives the patient the feeling of being acknowledged to participate in the caring process. This kind of care is also referred to as patient-centered care (PCC). It focuses on giving attention to the patient’s preferences, beliefs, and choices (Araki, 2019). In that regard, this paper discusses the value of incorporating patient preferences and values in care decisions.
According to Hertog & Niessen (2021), patient preferences are an essential part of care decisions. This element was reflected in my practice when a patient reported to the hospital with complaints of dizziness and early morning headache. Further examination revealed that the patient was suffering from high blood pressure. The advanced practice nurse who was attending to the issue discussed with the patient the results and recommended interventions to improve the symptoms. For instance, the nurse recommended morning exercise but the patient said he often reacts to cold and also had a recurrent pneumonia, therefore, they agreed that he will be having moderate evening exercise at least three times a week. They also agreed on dietary interventions and medications to help him maintain normal blood pressure (NICE, 2019). Including the patient in decision-making enhanced the care process in one way or the other. For example, it improved patient satisfaction with the treatment plan.
Patient choices and preferences affected the trajectory of the situation. The very first impact of patient preferences is the improved quality of nursing intervention. The nurse was able to develop a treatment plan that fits the patient (Hertog & Niessen, 2021). Another impact of patient preferences is that the patient received full information about his treatment options. This situation helps in ensuring the patient’s autonomy and ability to make decisions about his health (Araki, 2019). In addition, the strategy prevented possible hospital readmission. For instance, the patient could have been readmitted due to pneumonia. Therefore, incorporating patient preferences had a positive impact on care processes.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)’s blood pressure patient decision aid can be used to guide care decision-making. This patient decision aid is highly effective in managing hypertension (NICE, 2019). It might have contributed to the situation effectively by giving recommendations regarding medications that might be effective for the patient’s condition. This situation can also apply to the general population. This patient decision aid can be used for personal or professional practice to guide hypertension treatment and management.
In summary, incorporating patient preferences in care decision-making processes is highly recommended to improve outcomes. In the case study, patient preferences were incorporated making the intervention more effective. Patient preferences can lead to a positive trajectory of the situation. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)’s blood pressure patient decision aid provides an effective guideline for managing hypertension. The patient decision aid can be used widely across all populations to manage hypertension.
References
Araki, M. (2019). Patient centered care and professional nursing practices. Journal of Biomedical Research and Clinical Investigation, 1(1), 1004. https://doi.org/10.31546/JBRCI.1004
Hertog, R., & Niessen, T. (2021). Taking into account patient preferences in personalised care: Blending types of nursing knowledge in evidence‐based practice. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 30(13-14), 1904-1915. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.15743
NICE. (2019). Medicines to control blood pressure Patient decision aid. https://bihsoc.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/NICE-decision-aid_hypertension_DRAFT-for-comment.pdf