An Ethical Dilemm The Patient s Right Care - 1429 Words

An Ethical Dilemma: The Patient’s Right to Refuse Care Theresa Ho Samuel Merritt University Introduction There are many ethical principles healthcare professionals must keep in mind for their patients: autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, justice, fidelity, and veracity (Chitty Black, 2014). These principles may collide with one another and cause the fine line of ethics to be blurred. The principle of autonomy asserts that patients have the right and freedom to determine their own actions and decisions about their care and treatment. This principle is often conflicted with the principle of beneficence. Beneficence is defined as the â€Å"doing good† for others where healthcare professionals have the professional obligation to do good for their patients. However if a patient who refuses a treatment and then a doctor proceeds without consent to save their life, does this beneficence supersede the patient’s autonomy and rights to refuse care? When cases involve minors, doctors may be able to legally perform life saving treatments believing it is ethical, but the question i s: Is it acceptable to override ones patient’s rights? If so, when? A patient’s right to refuse care is an ongoing ethical dilemma that continues today. Discussion and Analysis In 1990, the Patient Self-Determination Act (PSDA) was passed and it required healthcare facilities to give written information upon admission to patients about their patient rights (Chitty Black, 2014). These rights