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Journal of Family Nursing
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*Heart Disease in Women
*Heart Diseases
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Patterns of Decision Making by Wives of Patients With LifeThreatening Cardiac Disease

Patricia Hall, PhD, CRNP, RN

University of South Alabama

Julie T. Sanford, DNS, RN

University of South Alabama, jsanford{at}usouthal.edu

Alice S. Demi, DNSc, RN, FAAN

Georgia State University

Implementation of the Patient Self-Determination Act (PSDA) in the United States has transferred decision making from the responsibility of health care professionals to the responsibility of family members. Dilemmas occurring as a result of this responsibility may cause stress and conflict among family members. The purpose of this study is to describe the patterns of decision making by family members of patients with life-threatening cardiac disease. Purposive sampling is used to select 10 wives of patients with life-threatening cardiovascular disease. Data are gathered through unstructured interviews and are analyzed using grounded theory and theory triangulation. Analysis of the data reveal three patterns of decision making: advocacy, acquiescence, and abdication.

Key Words: decision making • family • heart failure

Journal of Family Nursing, Vol. 14, No. 3, 347-362 (2008)
DOI: 10.1177/1074840708322235
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