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. 2006 Dec 4:1:12.
doi: 10.1186/1747-5341-1-12.

Governing therapy choices: power/knowledge in the treatment of progressive renal failure

Dave Holmes  1 , Amélie M Perron, Marc Savoie
Affiliations

Governing therapy choices: power/knowledge in the treatment of progressive renal failure

Dave Holmes et al. Philos Ethics Humanit Med. .

Abstract

This article outlines the struggle between the power of the health care professional and the rights of the individual to choose freely a modality of treatment. Nurses are instrumental in assisting patients in making the best decision for a therapy they will have to assume for the rest of their lives. In guiding patients' decision, nurses must take into account these unavoidable contingencies: changes in lifestyle, nutritional restrictions, level of acceptance, compliance issues, ease of training and availability of support/facilities. Ensuring that the patient makes an informed decision is therefore an ongoing challenge for nurses as they are taking part in a delicate balancing act between not directly influencing the patient's decision while making sure the patient is accurately informed.

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