A Study Protocol for Research Investigating How Geriatric Risk Assessment and Shared Decision-making Conversations Affect Treatment Decisions and Quality of Life in Patients Eligible for Open-heart Surgery.

At the clinic further information on the somatic, social, psychological and functional domain will be gathered by the nurse and two validated tests to map the vulnerability and resilience of the patient will be used; the Cognitive Impairment Test and the timed Up and Go Test.

"The nurse and nurse practitioner together will talk with the patient and their partner about possible treatment options as well as patients' expectations, preferences and their life in general.~During the conversation the OPT (Outcome Prioritization Tool) will be used to clarify the most important goals of treatment for the patient. The OPT exists of four universal treatment goals rated on a visual analogue scale from 0 to 100. The goals represented are: life extension, maintaining independence, reducing pain and reducing other symptoms. The goals will be explained and the patient will be asked to rate each outcome according to the trade-off principle meaning that two outcomes cannot be rated equally."