Authors: Enaam Al-Ananbeh.
Background: Health care providers (HCPs) play a key role in involving patients in health care decisions; they are the best patient's advocates in all health settings. Patients' involvement in health care decisions has been associated with improved treatment outcomes. Little is known about cardiac patients and HCPs experiences regarding involvement in health care decisions in Jordan. Therefore, it is needed to explore this phenomenon from both patients and HCPs perspectives.
Aims: To explore the experiences of cardiac patients and HCPs regarding their involvement in health care decisions.
Design: Descriptive phenomenological approach of Husserl (1962).
Sampling Technique: A purposive sample consisted of sixteen cardiac patients who were admitted to a public hospital in Jordan and twenty five HCPs were interviewed.
Data Generation: Semi-structured interviews were used over a period of six months (December 2018-May 2019).
Data analysis: A five – step technique proposed by Giorgi (1985) was used.
Results: Four major themes in relation to experiences of cardiac patients and HCPs: 1) The approach used by HCPs in communicating with patients is comforting, 2) Information provided to patients is helpful, 3) patients preferences regarding D.M style vary, 4) Sociocultural influence and religious factors influence patient’s role in D.M.
Conclusion: Patients and HCPs generally, have positive attitudes toward active involvement in D.M. Most patients preferred to rely on HCPs, to take the final decision. Further, they addressed time limits and workload as major barriers to involve patients in health care decisions. The differences in D.M styles preferences with different values should be considered to support patient’s involvement that is consistent to their values for best outcomes.
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