Question

What does autonomy mean to you? What is the importance of ensuring that patient autonomy is respected in your areas of nursing expertise? What influence can this have on patient outcomes?

Answer 1

Ans) Autonomy means independence or freedom, as of the will or one's actions.

- In nursing care, there are several situations that the nurse may invade this basic need. Therefore, nurses should respect patient's autonomy via giving necessary information and encourage them to participate in decision making process.

- Today, Autonomy is defined as a deliberate decision making and act according to it.

- Nurses can enhance autonomy by clearly communicating and organizing their work to ensure that they have the freedom to act on nursing decisions using sound clinical judgment.

- The right of patients to make decisions about their medical care without their health care provider trying to influence the decision. Patient autonomy does allow for health care providers to educate the patient but does not allow the health care provider to make the decision for the patient.