The concept that is covered in the article Right to Refuse Treatment presents its readers with the possible refusal of medical treatment as a patient's wish even if it includes the refusal of medical treatment that can lead to death. However, the refusal of the suggested treatment can be provided only if the patient is fully introduced with the potential risk from withdrawing from medical treatment. Even though the right to refuse medical treatment may sound fair and justified, it might be difficult to control emotions and watch a patient die due to some religious belief and some other conviction. This topic is of interest for me because I would like to become introduced with the rights dealing with this type of ethical issues. Ethical and moral ambiguity may arise in a patient and care provider as well, due to the refusal of medical treatment that may lead to health deterioration, and ultimately death.
One of the key points that is covered in the article includes the ways of protection of people who cannot make decisions on their own (Right to Refuse Treatment). The patients who suffers from some mental disorders and cannot make rational decisions may be easily persuaded to decline treatment and be manipulated by someone who may profit from their death. The second key point explored in the article relates to the reasons for refusing medical treatment. There are a variety of reasons why a person may refuse medical treatment and his or her wishes should be fulfilled only when a patient is fully introduced and understood the possibility that the treatment offers. According to the article Right to Refuse Treatment, "Rather, the patient’s job is to consider all the options and decide what is best for him or her".
Information presented in the article relates to some of the issues that may arise in my future career. Today, as it is stated in the article, overrules the opinion that the patient is the one who can decide about all the medical procedures that will be conducted on his body because the body integrity and the health are the personal thing of every individual. It is stated clearly that the patient’s wishes should be followed only when the patient is fully introduced with the medical treatment, but if the reason for refusing of medical treatment sounds banal for the hospital staff, and they must follow the wishes of the patient, how would a doctor cope with the death of a patient due to some trivial reason (for example refusal of blood transfusion due to religious belief). Even though all medical workers undergo psychological preparations for communication with the patients, they always seem unprepared when confronted with this type of situation. The ways of coping with this ethical issue in the eyes of every medical worker is something that interests me, and I hope that I will have a chance to learn more about mechanisms of dealing with this type of patients.
After reading the article the question that arouses is the following: If the reason for refusing a medical treatment is too trivial or a medical worker notices that it is done under the influence of some other person, does this medical worker has a right to notify someone other to decide instead of the patient? It may happen that everything is done by the letter or the law, but if it is obvious that the patient does not rely only on his own opinion? What is the range of possibilities that the health care provider may use in order to change the mind of the patient? There are also many other ethical dilemmas that emerge when a patient declines a medical treatment, and even though the law has tried to cover all the possibilities that may emerge in this type of situation, there will be always a situation that is unknown for the medical provider, and he or she must do the best to protect the welfare of the patient and still follow his wishes. It is difficult to be unbiased in this type of situation. However, the job of every medical professional is to follow patient’s wishes even if it includes the refusal of medical treatment.
References:
Right to Refuse Treatment. Vermont Ethics Network. Retrieved from: http://www.vtethicsnetwork.org/righttorefuse.html
