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Patients’ perceptions of self‐determination as expressed in the context of care
Author(s) -
Nordgren Stina,
Fridlund Bengt
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
journal of advanced nursing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.948
H-Index - 155
eISSN - 1365-2648
pISSN - 0309-2402
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2648.2001.01828.x
Subject(s) - feeling , context (archaeology) , perception , phenomenography , health care , psychology , nursing , medicine , social psychology , paleontology , pedagogy , neuroscience , economics , biology , economic growth
Patients’ perceptions of self‐determination as expressed in the context of careAim. The aim of this study was to describe patients’ perceptions of how self‐determination finds expression in the context of care. Background. Self‐determination is an important concept within health care as well as an important patient right. New legislation on patient rights in Sweden and Europe is aimed at increased patient self‐determination. Design and method. Data were collected through semi‐structured, tape‐recorded interviews with 17 strategically chosen patients within somatic care and analysed using a method inspired by phenomenography. Results. The analysis found three descriptive categories of the informants’ perceptions: trusting, accepting and a feeling of powerlessness. The patients expressed a great sense of trust and confidence in the care provided and they accepted the health care procedures. At the same time, they expressed a feeling of powerlessness because of not being part of decision‐making, as well as lacking knowledge and information about treatment strategies. The patients wished to have the right of more self‐determination but lacked the strength and knowledge to be able to influence their own care. Conclusions. Patients’ perceptions of self‐determination suggest that, in their encounters with the professional care, knowledge is expressed as power. The feeling of a lack of self‐determination can be reduced by help and support from a nurse who allocates time for communication in order to learn the patient’s needs and reach a mutual understanding.