As part of our focus on patient and family centred care, why do you feel it is important that IWK Health Centre focuses on involving patients and families in their healthcare decision making process? How do you go about this in your work?

"Involving patients and their families in decision making processes is extremely important and a delicate balance that I must weigh in on in every situation as a Nurse Practitioner. As the expert on health and disease for my patients, I must be the educator and the provider of resources for my patients. But their involvement is equally important as they know the home life and personal needs of the themselves or their loved one and these needs go a long way in making healthcare decisions. I try to take an educational approach while also welcoming feedback and thoughts from the patient and their family. Through this approach, we can all move forward making sounds decisions for the care of the patient."