Guest editorial- Consumer/Patient Decision Support in the New Millennium: Where Should Our Research Take Us?

Abstract

The focus of this CJNR issue on decision making and values reflects the growing interest in the area of decision making and highlights the contributions nurses have made to the science of decision support for patients. Lesley Degner and Hilary Llewellyn-Thomas have devoted their research careers to the systematic development and evaluation of clinical tools to assess patients' preferences for decision participation and for treatment alternatives. The careful evolution of their work stands as a model for nascent researchers who wish to contribute to the development of constructs, measures, and clinical decision-support tools. Although the influence of Drs. Degner and Llewellyn-Thomas extends beyond Canada's borders and the nursing discipline, I am truly delighted that a summary of their work has found a home in our national nursing research journal.