Background: International guidelines recommend that patients choose dialysis mode based on their own values and preferences; thus, involvement is needed in dialysis choice. A literature review indicated a lack of knowledge concerning patient involvement in decision-making, especially concerning patients' experiences of the decision-making process just after making the decision and before starting dialysis.
Objectives: To gather information about how patients experienced involvement in the decision-making process of renal substation therapy just after they have made the decision and before starting dialysis.
Methods: A qualitative method with a phenomenological and hermeneutic approach. The study was based on individual semi-structured interviews with nine adult patients with chronic kidney disease. A data-driven analysis based on systematic text condensation was used.
Findings: Patients are a significant part of the decision. Health care professionals contribute to the experience of being involved. Patients keep putting off the final choice.
Conclusion: The patients found themselves involved in the choice of dialysis mode and have different views on what is needed to feel being involved. Information, interaction, and advice from health care professionals affect this experience. However, the experience of not having any symptoms caused patients to put off the final choice of dialysis mode.
Keywords: Dialysis choice; Experience; Involvement.
© 2015 European Dialysis and Transplant Nurses Association/European Renal Care Association.