Unit 7 Lesson 3 : Patient Autonomy Flashcards
What was healthcare like in the past
In decades past, healthcare was paternalistic, or characterized by doctors being authorities who could make decisions for patients.
In what was healthcare in the past paternalistic ?
In older times, the doctor was like a kind “father” who made decisions for patients as if they were children, assuming that patients did not understand medicine, so their opinions did not matter.
What is the opposite of paternalism
Paternalism is considered the opposite of autonomy in healthcare.
patient autonomy—
patient autonomy—the right of patients to make decisions about their care with as much information as possible
What is the idea behind patient autonomy
The essential idea behind patient autonomy is that each individual is independent and has a unique set of beliefs, feelings, and history which are the basis for making decisions about their life.
In the sad event that a person becomes too ill to make decisions for themselves, they still have a say in how they will be treated. How
Advance directives
Advance directives
Advance directives are the legal documents that let patients express their wishes about their medical treatment.
What can Advance directives do? How does it work
These legal documents can spell out what a person wants done before they are in a situation where they would not be able to communicate this to healthcare professionals. Basically, a person writes down, in advance, the directions for a medical team to follow.
Whats a living will
A living will is a type of advance directive that details what types of care you might want in the event that you cannot give informed consent.
What things does a living will cover
This can include whether or not you want to be put on life support equipment if you are unconscious and unlikely to regain consciousness, be given CPR to restart your heart and breathing, or other aggressive medical measures.
Another type of advance directive is a medical power of attorney, whats that
medical power of attorney, where you name a person to make medical decisions for you if you are unable to.
why do some poeple need medical power of attorney
It would be impossible to anticipate all possible situations, so even if you have a living will, you may need a person you trust to make decisions about your care.
For patients who don’t want to make out a full living will, they may have a Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) order on file. Whats that
a Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) order on file which directs medical personnel to refrain from initiating lifesaving measures if the patient’s heart or breathing has stopped.
