Abstract
This study seeks to comparatively examine how autonomy is evaluated by asample of nursing staff in both Sweden and Florida, USA. In both cultures support for patient autonomy was generally greater from an individual point of view than from the anticipated institutional perspective. Comparisons between the cultures revealed that individual staff members in the Swedish nursing homes generally gave higher priority to patient preference than did their American counterparts. On the other hand, support for patientpreference was generally greater in the American nursing homes in regard toinstitutionally anticipated decision. There were statistically significantmean value differences between Swedish nursing staff‘s personal opinion andanticipated institutional decisions in five of six case studies. Nursingstaff‘s personal opinion showed a stronger support for patient‘spreferences. There was a statistically significant mean value differencebetween American nursing staffs‘ personal opinion and anticipatedinstitutional decisions in only one of the six case studies. In spite ofcultural differences the reported results to some degree reflect a commonvalue-system regarding both the anticipated institutional perspective andnursing staffs‘ personal opinion.
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Mattiasson, AC., Andersson, L., Mullins, L.C. et al. A comparative empirical study of autonomy in nursing homes in Sweden and Florida, USA. Journal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology 12, 299–316 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006531100836
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006531100836