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Introduction

Home page image collageShared decision making is an interactive process that focuses on achieving a shared understanding of treatment goals and plans between a patient and a provider. With shared decision making, a patient’s values and preferences are assessed and incorporated into the decision-making process.1,2

  1. Coyne I, O’Mathúna, DP, Gibson F, et al. Interventions for promoting participation in shared decision‐making for children with cancer. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2016; (11): CD008970. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD008970.pub3.
  2. Adams RC, Levy SE, AAP Council on Children with Disabilities. Shared Decision-Making and Children with Disabilities: Pathways to Consensus. Pediatrics 2017;139(6): e20170956. DOI:10.1542/peds.2017-0956.

Shared decision making can be a particularly effective strategy with adolescents for the following reasons:1,3,4

  1. Coyne I, O’Mathúna, DP, Gibson F, et al. Interventions for promoting participation in shared decision‐making for children with cancer. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2016; (11): CD008970. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD008970.pub3.
  2. Wyatt KD, List B, Brinkman WB, et al.. Shared Decision Making in Pediatrics: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Academic Pediatrics 2015;15(6):573-83.
  3. Loh A, Simon D, Wills C., et al. (2007). The effects of a shared decision-making intervention in primary care of depression: a cluster-randomized controlled trial. Patient Education and Counseling 2007; 67(3):324-332.
  • Builds trust
  • Meets adolescents’ desire to be involved in health care decisions
  • Can improve medication adherence and disease self-management
  • Improves knowledge and reduces decisional conflict
  • Can improve satisfaction with the visit
  • Provides a way to review treatment options for pediatric pain in the absence of national guidelines

While this module focuses on the treatment of adolescent pain, remember that shared decision making is appropriate in many scenarios, not just those involving physical discomfort.

What you will learn

This module should take less than 30 minutes to complete. After reviewing the material, you should be able to:

  • Identify the steps in the shared decision making process.
  • List specific verbiage that can be used to encourage adolescents to participate in the shared decision making process.
  • Identify adolescent pain treatment options and appropriate dosages.
  • Discuss strategies that can be used to overcome barriers to engaging in the shared decision making process with adolescents and parents.

The module is divided into two lessons. Use the menu at the top of the screen to move from lesson to lesson. You may proceed through the content in any order, though a linear progression is recommended.