What is patient autonomy, and can you provide an example?

• A. The patient’s right to make decisions about their care; e.g., refusing a recommended treatment.
• B. The physician’s right to override patient decisions.
• C. The nurse's authority to choose tests without patient input.
• D. The hospital policy dictates care regardless of patient wishes.

Answer: (A)

Patient autonomy is the right of individuals to make decisions about their own care, based on full information and their own values, as long as they have the capacity to decide. An example that illustrates this is a patient freely choosing to refuse a recommended treatment after a clear discussion of risks, benefits, and alternatives. The clinician should respect that decision, document it, and ensure ongoing support and understanding. This respect for the patient’s choice is what distinguishes autonomy from other approaches where decisions are made or imposed by others. For instance, allowing a physician to override the patient removes the patient’s control; a nurse choosing tests without input deprives the patient of participation; and hospital policy dictating care regardless of wishes denies individual rights and choice.