Substituted Judgment

An interesting article, provided me by The Partner, describes the application of suspended judgment among first-year medical students, wherein patient self-determination is preserved in the face of loss of ability in autonomous decision making via appropriate, designated surrogate. The results are very interesting and an important consideration for all health care providers. It's the conundrum of best interest of the patient, medical judgment or family wishes placed against patient self-determination. As a nurse and 'patient advocate', you think you know what you would do, don't you? It's worth rethinking because it's a very tricky ethical dilemma.