American journal of critical care : an official publication, American Association of Critical-Care Nurses
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To formulate a theory of shared decision making in critical care that accounts for both the legal and ethical warrants for informed consent, and the roles of nurses and patients' family members in shaping decision making. ⋯ Informed consent occurs when the patient understands the facts; understanding adheres to meaning, and meaning is achieved through narrative. Thus, a theory of shared decision making that uses narrative resolves the problems of informed consent and substantiates the important roles of nurses and patients' families in critical care.