Which scenario best illustrates autonomy in nursing ethics?

• A. A nurse overrides a patient’s decision for safety
• B. A patient declines a proposed treatment
• C. A physician dictates care
• D. A nurse performs a procedure without consent

Answer: (B)

Autonomy means respecting a patient’s right to make their own health care decisions, provided they have the capacity to decide and are adequately informed. In practice, this is upheld when the patient is given information about options, risks, and benefits, and their choice is accepted.

Declining a proposed treatment showcases autonomy because the patient is exercising self-determination, and the nurse supports that choice, checks for understanding, and documents the refusal. The other scenarios undermine autonomy: overriding a patient’s decision, a physician dictating care, or performing a procedure without consent all bypass the patient’s right to participate in their own care and violate ethical and legal standards.