Are person-related and socio-structural factors associated with nurses' self-management support behavior? A correlational study.

OBJECTIVE: To explore nurses' self-perceived behavior of supporting patients' self-management, and its association with person-related and socio-structural factors.

METHODS: Correlational study in a sample of nurses from nine general hospitals, three community healthcare organizations, and six private community practices. Nurses with >50% of their patients living with a chronic condition were eligible to participate. Data were collected at two time-points. Self-management support behavior was measured by the SEPSS-36 instrument. The person-related and socio-structural associated factors were derived from behavioral theories and measured by validated questionnaires.

RESULTS: Nurses (N=477) scored overall low on self-management support behavior. Nurses lacked mainly competencies in collaborative goalsetting, shared decision making and organizing follow-up. Factors predicting nurses' behavior in supporting patients' self-management were self-efficacy, priority, perceived supervisor support and training in self-management support. This model explained 51.7% of the variance in nurses' behavior.

CONCLUSION: To date, nurses do not optimally fulfil their role in supporting patients' self-management. Self-management support is practiced from a narrow medical point of view and primarily consists of informing patients, which is the lowest level of patient participation.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: It is essential to better prepare and support nurses - and by extend all healthcare professionals - for the challenges of supporting patients' self-management.