Premium
Decision analysis as a tool to support an analytical pattern‐of‐reasoning
Author(s) -
Narayan Suzanne M.,
CorcoranPerry Sheila,
Drew Debra,
Hoyman Kathryn,
Lewis Marsha
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
nursing and health sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.563
H-Index - 47
eISSN - 1442-2018
pISSN - 1441-0745
DOI - 10.1046/j.1442-2018.2003.00157.x
Subject(s) - decision analysis , deliberation , decision engineering , evidential reasoning approach , r cast , management science , decision support system , formal concept analysis , business decision mapping , action (physics) , computer science , psychology , knowledge management , artificial intelligence , mathematics , political science , economics , politics , law , statistics , physics , algorithm , quantum mechanics
Decision analysis is offered as a tool to aid nurses’ decision‐making in complex and troublesome situations where there are mutually exclusive actions and time is available for deliberation. Decision analysis can be formal or informal. Formal decision analysis provides a structure for representing the decision situation and a mathematical procedure for prescribing the alternative action that is most consistent with what is known and what one values. Informal decision analysis uses the concepts and sometimes the structure of decision analysis, but usually does not include the mathematical calculations. In the present paper, the authors illustrate how formal and informal decision analysis might be used by nurses to: (i) enhance their own decision‐making; (ii) assist patients or family caregivers with decision‐making and; (iii) promote informed health care policy development. Finally, the advantages and limitations of decision analysis are discussed.