[Role of nursing informed consent].

Informed consent is important for medical practice. Pilot study of comprehensive discharge planning at Higashi Sapporo Hospital suggested that there was a relationship between informed consent and patients' length of stay. Also in a study of home care systems for advanced cancer patients, it was one of the most important factors that they knew their true diagnoses, especially in young cancer patients. Informed consent, that is shared decision making, is an important communication process between patients and professional care givers. We consider the roles of nursing for informed consent are as follows: 1. Support of patients' decision making; 1) promotion of patients' understanding of their own situation, a. active listening, b. information disclosure, c. psychological support, 2) advocation, 3) assisting patients understanding of doctor's explanations, 2. Promotion of good relationships between patients and professional staff, 3. Coordination with patients and/or their families and/or professional care givers, 4. Ethical issues, and 5. Education for health promotion. However there are some problems remaining: for example, 1. Nurses after feel then have little role in informed consent, which is an issue for physicians. 2. Nurses must improve their professional skill and knowledge, 3. Nurses must perform more actively and independently.