Board Certified Patient Advocate Practice Exam

Respecting patient self-determination in medical decisions when they have capacity is autonomy in action. Autonomy means the patient has the right to understand options, weigh personal values, and decide their course of care, even if that choice differs from what a clinician would prefer. When a patient declines a recommended treatment, the clinician supports and documents the decision and aligns care with the patient’s goals, provided informed consent is obtained. Other ethical principles describe different duties: beneficence emphasizes acting for the patient's good, non-maleficence emphasizes avoiding harm, and justice focuses on fair access and distribution of resources. If the patient cannot participate in decisions, surrogate or advance directives guide decisions to honor the patient’s prior wishes as much as possible.