The attitude and actual participation of decision making regarding nursing care among patients with breast cancer

Abstract

Objective To describe and compare the attitude and actual participation of decision-making regarding nursing care of patients with breast cancer, and to identify the related factors. Methods To investigate 480 cases of inpatients with breast cancer in 3 Grade Ⅲ A hospitals in Wuhan through questionnaire and self-designed general information questionnaire. Results There were significant differences (χ2=28.3, P<0.01) between the attitude and actual participation of decision making regarding of nursing care. The results of Logistic regression analysis showed that patients with higher education level (B=1.574, P=0.002), less children (B=-2.716, P<0.01) and higher income (B=0.323, P<0.01), had a more active attitude to participate decision making; patients who were younger (B=-6.001, P=0.015), with higher education level (B=1.643, P=0.000), shorter duration of disease (B=-2.413, P=0.022), and lower degree of TNM stage (B=0.618, P=0.012), actually participated more often in decision making. Conclusions The actual participation was inconsistent with the attitude of decision-making regarding nursing care among patients with breast cancer. And patients′ demographic characters were related to their participation of decision making, which suggested that nurses should make a comprehensive assessment of willingness and capacity of patients′ decision-making participation, identify the facilitators and barriers, and take measures to support patients to take an active part in the decision making to improve the quality of nursing care. Key words: Breast neoplasm; Decision making regarding nursing care; Patients′ participation