Chapter 3 - Paternalism & Patient Autonomy

autonomy

a person’s rational capacity for self-governance or self-determination

\-@@__**can benefit the person or not**__@@, it is their choice

autonomy principle

autonomous persons should be allowed to exercise their capacity for self-determination

examples of taking away someone’s autonomy

restraining someone

purposefully misinforming

coercion

persuasion with the use of false info

paternalism

==__**overriding**__== a persons actions or decision making ==__**for their own good**__==

weak paternalism

paternalism directed at people who cannot act autonomously or whose autonomy is lowered greatly

ex: dangerous to self, extremely depressed, addicted, mentally handicapped

strong paternalism

paternalism that overrides the actions or choices even though they are autonomous

\-usually involving legal

\-benefits have to outweigh the infringement for this paternalism to be okay

refusal of treatment

patients choose not to be taken care of by healthcare workers despite it being recommended in their care plan

1944 landmark Supreme Court case decision

parents can become martyrs but not force their children to be martyrs themselves

advance directive

legal document that speaks for you if you are incapacitated

\-living document that can be adjusted to give your considerations as to your treatments

ex: DNR orders

medical futility

alleged pointlessness or ineffectiveness of administering treatment

ex: doctor claims treatment won’t work but the patient demands it anyways

futile treatment

specified physiological treatment

1986: Bouvia vs California Court of Appeals decision

court ruled that competent adults have a guaranteed right whether to submit to medical treatments