Which statement demonstrates respect for patient autonomy?

• A. The patient has the right to refuse care and it must be honored
• B. The patient must always follow the physician's orders
• C. Consent is not required for routine care
• D. The nurse decides the treatment

Answer: (A)

Honoring patient autonomy means recognizing the patient’s right to make their own health care decisions, including the choice to accept or refuse treatment, as long as they have the capacity to decide and are adequately informed. Saying that the patient has the right to refuse care and that this decision must be honored is the clearest demonstration of autonomy in practice, because it centers the patient as the decision-maker and requires the clinician to respect that choice, provide full information, assess capacity, and document the refusal while still offering support and alternatives.

Paternalistic approaches—acting as if the physician’s orders must always be followed without considering the patient’s preferences—undermine autonomy. Assuming consent for routine care without explicit discussion also disrespects the patient’s right to participate, and having the nurse decide the treatment removes the patient’s voice from the decision-making process.