Advance directives and the concept of competence: are they a moral barrier to resuscitation?

The ethical reflection on the principle of respect for autonomy has evolved from protecting the patients' right to direct health care decisions affecting them, to describing essential conditions necessary to recognize the patients' consent as being really informed. Some specific problems a...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of physiology and pharmacology : an official journal of the Polish Physiological Society 2007-11, Vol.58 Suppl 5 (Pt 2), p.477-484
Main Author: Niebrój, L T
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Advance Directives - ethics
Advance Directives - legislation & jurisprudence
Humans
Living Wills - ethics
Mental Competency - legislation & jurisprudence
Morals
Poland
Resuscitation Orders - ethics
Resuscitation Orders - legislation & jurisprudence
Third-Party Consent - ethics
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Summary:The ethical reflection on the principle of respect for autonomy has evolved from protecting the patients' right to direct health care decisions affecting them, to describing essential conditions necessary to recognize the patients' consent as being really informed. Some specific problems arise with patients who are not autonomous or whose autonomy is doubtful at the time of undertaking medical treatments. The advance directives are seen as a means which permits to respect the patient's autonomy even in such difficult situations. Such directives are understood as the declarations made by patients in which they express the will concerning treatment preferences, in particular, resuscitation recommendations, in case of their potential future lack of ability to act autonomously. This paper attempts to answer to the question of whether the advance directives fulfill (and if so, on what basis) the standards established by the concept of competence.
ISSN:0867-5910