| Summary: | The aim of the study was to investigate nurses’ perception about patients’ participation in medicine treatment and how to make the patient participate. A qualitative method was used and six nurses were interviewed. The nurses’ perceptions of patients’ participation in medicine treatment were characterized especially by patients having good knowledge about their medicines. Therefore, the nurses considered it important to be well-informed about the effect of the medicines. Furthermore, everyone believed that giving information on the basis of the patient’s knowledge-level and answering questions from the patient were important nursing care. The result was considered a less anxiety and more satisfied patient who is compliant to medicine prescription, so that unnecessary hospital admissions could be avoided. However, information is occasionally followed-up. Other measures were to explain and give motivation for treatment. The nurse is available to the patient and notices effects of the treatment that can be drawn to the doctor’s attention. The way to communicate and cooperate with the patient is considered important but dialogue is not common and sometimes the patient’s opinion is not requested. Moreover, it happens that the nurses prove to have a paternalistic attitude. Obstacles that were mentioned were lackof time, dementia, certain diseases and urgent situations. The nurses meant that respect should be shown if patients do not want to participate. Conclusion: The patient participation and influence ought to be strengthening by the nurses’ attitude of the advantage that the patient participates in his own care. Wrong approach by the nurses need to be changed in favour of patients influence. Besides, all leaders at all levels in the healthcare sector, need to be organized in order to facilitate patient participation of the best quality.
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