Attitudes of Oncologists, Oncology Nurses, and Patients from a Women's Clinic Regarding Medical Decision Making for Older and Younger Breast Cancer Patients

To assess their attitudes toward patient input in medical decisions for breast cancer patients, 67 oncologists, 94 oncology nurses and 288 patients from a women's clinic completed the Beisecker Locus of Authority in Decision Making: Breast Cancer survey. Nurses and physicians responded in terms of a patient aged 40, 60, or 75 years. All groups believed that physicians should have the dominant role in decision making. Nurses felt that patients should have more input than patients or physicians felt they should. Physicians advocated the least patient input. Patient age was not a significant factor in explaining respondents' attitudes.