Model of Decision Making in Nursing

NURSING

Nursing: Decision-Making Model

There are various decision-making models that physicians and patients use for reaching an optimal solution regarding the best possible patient outcomes. The first model, the paternalistic model, has its pros and cons. The encompassed benefits are flow of expert information from physician to the patient, working for the entire community and not just particular individual since the outcomes of one patient would affect the perceived image of the healthcare field, and caring for the patient’s health benefits as a clinician is perceived as a guardian (Ayodele, 2016). The pitfalls can be a large dependency on the decision of the physician and the medical staff, information flows one-way, and the clinician makes the final decision without little or no input from the patient that might cause dissatisfaction. This model can be particularly justified in an emergency where the patient is in critical condition. The patient himself might be unaware of the severity and urgency of his problem.

The second model, informed decision-making, comprises of various benefits such as heightened self-confidence for the patient and physician both, satisfaction about the care provided, increased patient knowledge, and less worry and conflict about the final decision since there is a partnership and responsibility in the decision-making process (Paterick, Paterick & Paterick, 2020). The limitations include a time-consuming process, overload of information for the patient that he might not be capable of processing shrewdly, and favorable patient outcomes. The situations in which informed consent might be practiced are when a child, parent, or family member is involved in a medical operation.

Shared decision-making has its pros and cons. The benefits include a two-way flow of information, better patient knowledge, lower anxiety about the decision outcomes, deliberation about implementing the final treatment option, and better risk-taking behavior from both the clinician and the patient (Ankolekar et al., 2018). However, the limitations include time-consuming processes, adjustments from the physician and patient’s side, lack of suitability in specific patient cases, and amendments according to cultural changes (Ankolekar et al., 2018). Problems that are best suited for this model are selecting the types of medication based on the patient’s medical history or allergies, the decision about the surgery or diagnostic tests to be run on the patient before operation, etc. This model seems to have the strongest possibility of resulting in permanent change since it helps in consolidating the wishes of both the involved parties who have their stakes in the matter.