Facing Health Decisions
Facing Health Decisions
November 3, 2024
Joy Stepinski, MSN, RN-BC
Facing health decisions can feel incredibly overwhelming and daunting at times. Your healthcare provider may deliver a copious amount of information. The news may not be what you expect. There may be pressure to agree to a certain procedure or medication. You may leave the appointment still having unanswered questions, with an uncertain path forward.
One of the most important concepts to remember is that a health decision is yours. As described by one author [1], “all persons have intrinsic and unconditional worth, and therefore, should have the power to make rational decisions and moral choices, and each should be allowed to exercise his or her capacity for self-determination” (p.19). The decision should take into consideration your personal beliefs, values, and life plan, even if your healthcare provider has a different recommendation.
Common barriers to making a health decision identified in the literature include being rushed, not feeling heard, not understanding medical lingo, and feeling intimidated when asking for clarification [2]. There may be a feeling of anticipated regret and fear of making the wrong choice [3]. Other challenges may be not knowing the right questions to ask. How does one make the best health decision when feeling overloaded by different emotions?
Unless your medical condition is an imminent life-threatening emergency, taking time to absorb information and weighing all of your options are vital to empowerment in decision-making. Empowerment leads to a feeling of control, increased self-awareness, and active engagement in one’s own healthcare [4]. By learning and understanding the options, you will be able to apply them to your own life goals and values. You will have a greater ability to cope with decisions.
A health decision involves the most precious gift you were given… your life! No matter how big or small, your decision will impact you in some way. Be on the lookout for more articles here in the library on this important subject!
References:
1. Varkey, B. (2021). Principles of clinical ethics and their application to practice. Medical principles and practice: International Journal of the Kuwait University, Health Science Centre, 30(1), 17–28. https://doi.org/10.1159/000509119
2. Rocque, R., & Leanza, Y. (2015). A systematic review of patients’ experiences in communicating with primary care physicians: intercultural encounters and a balance between vulnerability and integrity. PloS One, 10(10), e0139577. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0139577
3. Jerome, G., & Pamela, H. (2017). The power of regret. The New England Journal of Medicine, 377(16), 1507-1509. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMp1709917
4. Eskildsen, N. B., Joergensen, C. R., Thomsen, T. G., Ross, L., Dietz, S. M., Groenvold, M., & Johnsen, A. T. (2017). Patient empowerment: a systematic review of questionnaires measuring empowerment in cancer patients. Acta Oncologica, 56(2), 156-165.