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Discussion

Question on right to refuse

NEED HELP: Im a new nursing student doing a project on advocacy of patient rights.

I can't find the laws on what the RNs responsibility is when a client refuses treatment, including life-saving. Does the RN call the court hearing or just tell the MD? Anyone know where I can find the law on this in print?

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Oops- posted b4 I finished typing

Not sure where the law is- but pt's alway's have the right to refuse any medical treatment, including meds

In my hospital that is explained in the "Patient's Rights"

Agree---it is a patient's right to refuse any treatment or medication. I would document the refusal and notify the MD that the patient is refusing whatever it is they are refusing. If the patient is disoriented then its time to involve the power of attorney.

Patients can be in the middle of a massive MI and if they choose to they can leave the hospital without treatment.

If the patient is in the hospital under a baker act due to attempted suicide or self harm then thats when it becomes a legal issue and the patient cannot leave the hospital until the baker act is lifted by the MD.

  • Experts

Patients have the right to refuse treatment, there is no court hearing that is called about this. The physician needs to be notified that the patient refused and it needs to be documented in the patient's medical record.

Past that point, there is nothing that the nurse does otherwise. If you are concerned about the patient refusing, then notify the Risk Management Dept, but otherwise there is nothing else that you need to do or are required to do.

Patients have the right to refuse any and all treatments and procedures.

  • Experts

If the patient is of sound mind and refuses treatment but you force it on him anyway, you've committed battery...even if you're saving his/her life by performing treatment.

All you can do is explain to the patient the consequences of his/her refusal of the treatment.. If they still choose to refuse it after that, document the refusal and that you explained to the patient the consequences of their refusal (so it's on paper that you told patient what could happen, in case the matter ever ends up in court), and notify the patient's PCP.

Research the Patient Self Determination Act

In the case of code status:

Nurse's responsibility is to inform the MD of pt's wishes. In my experience, docs sometimes take your word for it and write an order to make the pt a "no code" or "chemical code" and sometimes they have to hear it for themselves right from the pt or (most often) family. If the pt has an advance directive, the MD must still write an order. Until an order is written, we proceed as if the pt is a full code.

Otherwise, pt's have the right to refuse any treatment as others have stated.

Hope that helped,

May

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