Understanding Patient Autonomy in Ethical Nursing Practice

As a registered nurse, you are responsible for advocating for your patients' rights and ensuring that their healthcare needs are met. Ethical practice in nursing compels you to respect patient autonomy, which means recognizing a patient's right to make their own healthcare decisions. When a patient is not able to make decisions for themselves due to a medical condition, it is your duty to act in their best interest.

In a situation where a patient’s family is demanding a specific treatment that you believe is not in the patient’s best interest, you must approach this situation ethically. The first step you should take is to communicate with the family and explain why the proposed treatment may not be appropriate. Ethical practice requires you to ensure that the patient’s wishes, especially if they have previously expressed their preferences, are prioritized.

Please fill in the blank with the appropriate term: Ethical nursing practice emphasizes the importance of __________, which is the right of individuals to make their own choices regarding their healthcare.