Developing a decision support intervention regarding choice of dialysis modality.

Abstract

Unlabelled: Predialysis nurses have an important role in supporting patients who must make decisions when renal replacement therapy is needed. However, no effective interventions have been established for nurses who provide this decision support. The Ottawa Decision Support Framework provides a structure to develop such interventions, which include a patient decision aid and decision coaching.

Goal: To propose a method for developing and implementing a decision support intervention.

Method and results: Guided by this model, a mixed method design is proposed to develop and evaluate the intervention. The intervention includes a decision aid intended for patients and their families and training in decision coaching intended for nurses. Its development requires knowledge synthesis and a decisional needs assessment with key informants. The development of decision coaching competencies for nurses will include an interactive skill building workshop. A constructivist evaluation approach will be used to evaluate the intervention.

Conclusion: This study proposes an innovative approach to develop interventions and should contribute to improving the quality of decision-making regarding dialysis modality and to developing nurses' skills in providing decision support.