Plawecki Lawrence H, Amrhein David W
Rehabilitation Hospital of Indiana, 4141 Shore Drive, Indianapolis, IN 46254, USA.
J Gerontol Nurs. 2009 Aug;35(8):16-8. doi: 10.3928/00989134-20090706-03. Epub 2009 Aug 13.
In the complicated health care and legal system of the United States, all patients are endowed with certain rights. The American Hospital Association and the U.S. Supreme Court have each delineated certain rights to which patients who have the competence and mental capacity to make decisions for themselves are entitled. One such right especially important to geriatric patients is the right to refuse treatment. Prior to treatment, nurses are often charged with obtaining the informed consent of the patient. To do so, the nurse must evaluate the patient's competency and mental capacity while explaining the proposed treatment, the benefits and risks involved, and other available treatment options, and then accept either the patient's voluntary assent or refusal.
在美国复杂的医疗保健和法律体系中，所有患者都被赋予了某些权利。美国医院协会和美国最高法院各自划定了某些权利，具备为自己做决定的能力和心智能力的患者有权享有这些权利。对老年患者尤为重要的一项权利是拒绝治疗的权利。在进行治疗之前，护士通常负责获得患者的知情同意。要做到这一点，护士必须在解释拟议的治疗方案、所涉及的益处和风险以及其他可用的治疗选择时，评估患者的能力和心智能力，然后接受患者的自愿同意或拒绝。
