Patient autonomy in a high‐tech care context—A theoretical framework

Aims and objectives To synthesise and interpret previous findings with the aim of developing a theoretical framework for patient autonomy in a high‐tech care context. Background Putting the somewhat abstract concept of patient autonomy into practice can prove difficult as when it is highlighted in healthcare literature, the patient perspective is often invisible. Autonomy presumes that a person has experience, education, self‐discipline and decision‐making capacity. Reference to autonomy in relation to patients in high‐tech care environments could therefore be considered paradoxical, as in most cases, these persons are vulnerable, with impaired physical and/or metacognitive capacity, thus making extended knowledge of patient autonomy for these persons even more important. Design Theory development. Methods The basic approaches in theory development by Walker and Avant were used to create a theoretical framework through an amalgamation of the results from three qualitative studies conducted previously by the same research group. Results A theoretical framework—the control‐partnership‐transition framework—was delineated disclosing different parts cocreating the prerequisites for patient autonomy in high‐tech care environments. Assumptions and propositional statements that guide theory development were also outlined, as were guiding principles for use in day‐to‐day nursing care. Four strategies used by patients were revealed as follows: the strategy of control, the strategy of partnership, the strategy of trust and the strategy of transition. Conclusions An extended knowledge base, founded on theoretical reasoning about patient autonomy, could facilitate nursing care that would allow people to remain/become autonomous in the role of patient in high‐tech care environments. Relevance to clinical practice The control‐partnership‐transition framework would be of help in supporting and defending patient autonomy when caring for individual patients, as it provides an understanding of the strategies employed by patients to achieve autonomy in high‐tech care contexts. The guiding principles for patient autonomy presented could be used in nursing guidelines.