Patient Rights

Submitted to:
Prof. Evangeline S. Salas, MAN, RN
Submitted by:
April Punzalan
Patient Rights
Patient rights direct actions on ethical issues in the care of geriatrics populations. The
concepts if rights forms the basis of many of our laws and is indeed the basis for the
foundations of the U.S Constitution.
It is considered basic to HUMAN LIFE
or ETHICAL BASIS
The American Hospital Association
has published a document
addressing patient rights
and hospital responsibility, entitled..
The Patient Care Partnership: Understanding Expectations, Rights and
Responsibilities.
In an effort to define these rights and to hold hospitals and patients accountable to
them.

Rights also evolve as values within a cultural or social group change.

The right to decide what can and cannot be done to a person evolved as a legal
definition due to a malpractice lawsuit in 1957. (Quallich, 2004)
The right to effective pain management has evolved due to changes in perception and
studies assessing the impact of poor pain management on outcomes.

Patient rights and Responsibilities

Origin of patient’s rights and responsibilities
The code of ethics of medical and nursing councils define the duties of the Doctors and
Nurses towards the patients. Thus these duties form the basis of patient’s rights.

Patient’s Rights
Right to expect prompt treatment in an emergency.
To receive care, meeting the highest standards regardless of
Race religion, national origin, disability, gender, sexual orientation, age, military services
or source of payment for care.
Right to information on diagnosis, treatment and medicines.
a clear explanation of proposed treatment and procedures, including:
Potential benefits and drawbacks
Potential problems in recuperation
The likelihood of success
The possible results of non-treatment, any significant alternatives.
Right to obtain all the relevant information about the professionals involved in the
patient care
The right to expect that all communications and records pertaining to his/her case be
treated as confidential to the extent provided by the law.
Right to every consideration of his/her privacy concerning his/ her medical care
programmed.
Rights to get copies of medical records
Be informed about and participate in decisions about the care, including informed
consent to the extent provided by law.
Right to get details of the bills
Right to seek second opinion about his/ her disease, treatment, at his/her own
responsibility.
Patient’s Responsibilities
To faithfully undergo the agreed therapy.
To follow the Doctors instructions diligently.
To take necessary preventive measures in case of infectious diseases as per the
doctors instructions.
To be aware that doctors and nurses are also human beings and are amenable to
mistakes and lapses.
To Respect the autonomy of the doctors and nurses.
To treat the doctors and nurses with respect.
To be punctual to attend the clinics/ hospital /dispensary for the treatment at the given
time.
To preserve all the records of one’s illness.
To keep the doctor informed if the patient wants to change the hospital/doctor.

Advance Directives
The most fundamental patient right is the right to decide.
The Patient Self-Determination Act of 1990
This was enacted to reduce the risk
that life would be shortened or
prolonged against the wishes
of the individuals.
This requires that patients are provided the opportunity to express their preferences
regarding life-saving or life-sustaining care on entering any health care services which
includes
HOSPITALS
LONG-TERM CARE CENTERS
HOME CARE AGENCIES
Decisions regarding life-saving or life sustaining care are recorded in legal documents.
Action of Advance Directive Care
Describe the action to be taken in a situation where the patient is no longer able to
provide informed consent.
Living wills are alternative documents that direct preferences for end-of-life care issues
providing an “if…then…” plane.
This include
What type of care to provide and whether resuscitation measure should be taken.
The “if” condition terminally ill it must be confirmed with a physician.
Durable Power of Attorney
A living will may include a durable power of attorney, a legal document designating an
alternative decision maker in the event that the person is incapacitated.
This document supersedes all other
general legal designations for
decision making.
People who the patient wants to designate to could be:
Trusted neighbors
Friends
Close family
The absence of a living will or “do not resuscitate” order requires:
All possible efforts at resuscitation should be initiated.
Care of incapacitated person is greatly simplified by an advance directive or living will.
Competence
It refers to one’s clarity and appropriateness in decision making.
Competence must be present for person to exercise autonomy and their right to decide.
Inherent in autonomy is the right to choose.
The right to be informed.
The right to refuse treatment
The informed consent means that the person is clearly understands the choices offered.
Nurses should be involved patients in planning of their own health care to the extent
that they are able to participate.
Organizational guidelines are established in line with these laws to guide staff in
management of such situations.
Assisted Suicide
This is another ethical issue of Self-Determination and autonomy.
Is social values dictate beliefs about self-determination and life satisfaction, person with
chronic, disabling disorders are at risk for prompted suicide even if they are not
terminally ill.
Refusal of treatment is considered a right and protected under self-determination
directives.
The recent movement towards legislation regarding assisted suicide should be used in
the basis of health status, age or other attributes and counters the ethical principle on
which self-determination is based.
Ethics In Practice
Nurses must learn to assess competency as related to specific features of care in the
geriatric population.
Developing skills in probing the expressed wishes of patients and advocating for those
wishes to be followed facilitates respect and honoring of self-determinations.
Mistake
Mistakes happen, and happened more often than the public was aware of prior to the
2000 report by the institute of the Medicine that stated such errors are common and
often life threatening.
Ethical responses to mistakes include:
Honestly admitting the errors occurred in a neutral and objective manner
Taking proper steps to correct the situations
Apologizing for the mistake
Making amends as possible
Evaluating how to prevent such mistakes in the future.
Conflict of Interest
When a situation arise from competing loyalties and opportunities. This includes:
Conflict of values
Values of system
Families
Patients health care team
Organization
Insurance company
Nurses must respect the
Worth
Dignity
Rights of the elderly
Must provide care that meets their comprehensive needs across the continuum.
The fundamental commitment to the uniqueness of the patient creates opportunities for
participation in planning and directing care.