Shared Decision Making in Clinical Practice Enhancing Patient-Centered Care

Shared Decision Making (SDM) is a collaborative process in which clinicians and patients work together to make healthcare decisions that align with the best available evidence as well as the patient's values, preferences, and unique life circumstances. This module establishes the conceptual and historical foundations of SDM as a patient-centered care framework, with specific application to nursing practice. Shared Decision Making is not simply informing patients about their options and then asking them to choose. It is a genuine partnership characterized by mutual exchange of information, deliberation, and joint decision-making. Three essential elements define SDM: