Tbere is no clear consensus on wbat patient parbcipabo entails Indeed, tbe lack of clanfy associated witb the concept has perhaps resulted in pabent parbcipabon becoming a nursing rbetonc or even a clicb6 Woods & Metcalfe (1980) report that the misconcepbons about tbe
meaning of pabent parbcipation bave contributed to many negabve reacbons by bealtb care professionals and pabents alike Clayton (1988) declares tbat tbe different
orientabons towards pabent parbcipabon have resulted mrole confusion and role conflict botb for tbe nurse and patient, which m turn has contnbuted to inadequate
nurse-pabent communicabon and general nurse-pabent dissabsfacbon Richardson (1983) maintains tbat the confiictmg
claims wbicb bave been asserted botb in favour of
and against pabent participabon m bealtb care have arisen
from an inadequate understanding of tbe concept Indeed,
tbe prevalence and over-use of the term, the ambiginfy,
tbe failure to appreciate tbe nature of tbe concept, and tbe
lack of consensus regarding tbe meaning of pabent parbcipabon,
bave been catalysts for tbis analysis Certainly, it
would appear that pabent parbcipabon is a modem day
icon m need of closer exammabon