Registered Dental Assistant (RDA) Law and Ethics Practice Exam

What does the principle of patient autonomy primarily allow?

1. Patients to refuse treatment willingly

2. Patients to govern their treatment decisions

3. Patients to demand any treatment they want

4. Patients to keep their records private without consent

The correct answer is: Patients to govern their treatment decisions

The principle of patient autonomy is fundamentally about the right of patients to make informed choices regarding their own healthcare. This principle supports the idea that every individual has the capacity and the right to govern their treatment decisions based on their values, preferences, and personal circumstances. By prioritizing patient autonomy, healthcare providers must respect and facilitate patients' rights to make choices about their treatment, ensuring that patients are well-informed about their options and the possible consequences of those options. This involves engaging with patients in shared decision-making processes, where their preferences and values are taken into account. While the other options touch on aspects related to patient rights, they do not fully encapsulate the broad and foundational nature of patient autonomy. For instance, patients being able to refuse treatment is indeed a component of autonomy, but it does not encompass the entirety of governing treatment decisions. Similarly, demanding any treatment disregards the necessary framework of informed consent and clinical appropriateness that guides medical practice. Privacy of medical records is another important aspect of patient rights, but it relates more to confidentiality rather than the concept of autonomy itself.