Limits & Importance of Patient Autonomy

Running head: PATIENT AUTONOMY 1
Limits & Importance of Patient Autonomy
Student’s Name
Institution’s Affiliation

PATIENT AUTONOMY 2
Limits & Importance of Patient Autonomy
Autonomy is one of the vital things to be considered in healthcare facility especially
when dealing with various patient treatments, it is an ethical principle related to people as well as
self-governance & determination; the patient has control over their healthcare decisions. Despite
the fact that the physicians in health facilities are more acquainted with various diseases, the
patient in question knows more about his/her body thus the many factors that the patient requests
before giving any treatment are very important. According to (Ludbrook, 2007) Jody a 16year
old teenager does not know the impact in which the pregnancy will have to her life but still her
decision regarding the pregnancy should be adhered to. However, the importance, as well as the
limits of creating autonomy of patients in various healthcare facilities, is further discussed below.
“Rights: Why does this matter?" Although I believe that the patient rights are important and
her right to privacy and also her right to make a decision because of her age. I believe the
child also has a right.” ( Beauchamp, 2016)
First for patient autonomy in order for the patient to be able to make a decision they should
have adequate knowledge and try to explore various options that are relevant to the decisions that
are to be made. However, some patients may be quite knowledgeable about their illness but still;
they will need a professional doctor to assist them with any information that the patients doesn’t
know what they don’t know (Morton et. al, 2017).
Moreover, when a patient is in pain or emotionally traumatized they end up making
rational decisions; therefore, autonomy is limited to some point. That informed consent on the
decisions they are making is not there, therefore, in such instances, a lot of care must be taken
into account. More so it is the role of the physician offering the treatment to provide any relevant