Finnish nurses' perceptions of care of older patients.

The aim of the study was to explore how far the perceptions of care of nurses in Finland take into account the preferences of the older patient and the patient's family members and to evaluate related background factors. The data were collected by questionnaire with nurses (n=167) working in a geriatric hospital. The questionnaire contained items about shared decision-making, attitudes to nursing patients, assessment of patients' functional ability and need for care, goal-setting, evaluation of outcomes and discharge planning.