MULTI-MEDIA SUPPORT FOR INFORMED/SHARED DECISION-MAKING BEFORE AND AFTER A CANCER DIAGNOSIS JENNIFER D. ALLEN AND DONNA L. BERRY OBJECTIVES: To define and distinguish informed decision-making (IDM) from shared decision-making (SDM) and review the evidence for technology-based interventions designed to facilitate informed decisions about cancer screening and treatment. DATA SOURCES: Peer-reviewed research articles from Medline and other data sources accessible through pubmed.gov. CONCLUSION: There is evidence that multi-media decision aids (DAs) or support systems can improve quality of decision-making in terms of enhancing knowledge relevant to decision-making, reducing decisional conflict, and customizing education and coaching of patients with cancer. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE: Nurses have a key role to play in designing, deploying, monitoring, and evaluating multi-media DAs in oncology practice settings. DAs are an adjunct to interpersonal education, providing information to patients in both the clinical setting and in more familiar settings without the time constraints of clinical encounters. Nurses can adopt such DAs and support systems and work with patients to ensure Jennifer D. Allen, RN, DSc, MPH: Assistant Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA and Center for Community-Based Research, Phyllis F. Cantor Center for Research in Nursing & Patient Care Services, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA. Donna L. Berry, PhD, RN, AOCN Ò , FAAN: Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA and Phyllis F. Cantor Center for Research in Nursing & Patient Care Services, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA. All manuscript work was completed at the Dana- Farber Cancer Institute. Address correspondence to Jennifer D. Allen, RN, DSc, MPH, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brook- line Ave; LW 743, Boston, MA 02215. e-mail: jennifer_allen@dfci.harvard.edu Ó 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. 0749-2081/2703-$36.00/0. doi:10.1016/j.soncn.2011.04.004 192 Seminars in Oncology Nursing, Vol 27, No 3 (August), 2011: pp 192-202