Autonomy In Patient-Centred Care
Civil law is divided into different categories such as Family law, Tort, contract law and administrative law (Nockleby, 2013). Family law is regarded as the law that regulates rights, duties and relationship within the family (Statsky, 2014) while tort is the general label given to a class of civil wrong whereby the courts provides a remedy as compensation for damages (Weller, 2013). Furthermore, Miller and Jentz, (2013) identified contract law is an enforceable agreement while Adamson (2011) defines administrative law as the part of law regulating public bodies like courts, local authorities and how other public institution operates. Also, Gaines and Miller (2012), emphasises that these laws should guide healthcare practitioners in decision
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Autonomy which is within the context of patient care has replaced paternalism which was the formal approach to patient care in healthcare practice (DH, 2010). The respect for autonomy which advocates for patients’ decision making rights (Gillet, 2008; Walker, 2009; Beauchamp and Childress, 2009) and discourages paternalism which has been the norm in the nurse-patient relationship for decades, permits Miss KK to decline surgery which she considered more of a concern and a burden than beneficial (Davies and Elwyn, 2008). Additionally, the healthcare professional owes the patient a duty of care to ensure the patient’s choice is respected and an acceptable standard of care is rendered at all-times (Pozgar, 2010; NMC, 2015). In contrast, the General Medical Council (2008) and Herring (2011) argues that no patient has the right to demand certain treatments and the healthcare professional is under no ethical or legal obligation to provide treatment requested by a patient that he or she views as not clinically specified. Consequently, Fagan (2009) and Harrison and Hart (2009) suggests that patient’s refusal to a particular treatment can pose a significant challenge to the healthcare professionals, as the patient’s decision may be in direct contrast to those of the healthcare team and thus result in a severe medical consequence. Notwithstanding, Varelius (2006), MacMillan (2015) and NMC (2015) asserts that as long as adequate information was given to Miss KK in respect to the surgery, regardless of any decision she makes, her rights to autonomy must be
Autonomy which is within the context of patient care has replaced paternalism which was the formal approach to patient care in healthcare practice (DH, 2010). The respect for autonomy which advocates for patients’ decision making rights (Gillet, 2008; Walker, 2009; Beauchamp and Childress, 2009) and discourages paternalism which has been the norm in the nurse-patient relationship for decades, permits Miss KK to decline surgery which she considered more of a concern and a burden than beneficial (Davies and Elwyn, 2008). Additionally, the healthcare professional owes the patient a duty of care to ensure the patient’s choice is respected and an acceptable standard of care is rendered at all-times (Pozgar, 2010; NMC, 2015). In contrast, the General Medical Council (2008) and Herring (2011) argues that no patient has the right to demand certain treatments and the healthcare professional is under no ethical or legal obligation to provide treatment requested by a patient that he or she views as not clinically specified. Consequently, Fagan (2009) and Harrison and Hart (2009) suggests that patient’s refusal to a particular treatment can pose a significant challenge to the healthcare professionals, as the patient’s decision may be in direct contrast to those of the healthcare team and thus result in a severe medical consequence. Notwithstanding, Varelius (2006), MacMillan (2015) and NMC (2015) asserts that as long as adequate information was given to Miss KK in respect to the surgery, regardless of any decision she makes, her rights to autonomy must be