Question

A cardiac surgeon is informing a patient and his wife about the risks and benefits of a coronary bypass surgery to treat the man's acute heart disease. The surgeon wants to take a collaborative approach in which the patient ultimately decides about the treatment, with the support of the provider. Which of the following behaviors would undermine such a partnership?

a) The surgeon takes a seat when talking to the patient and his wife.
b) The surgeon asks, "What matters most to you about your health and your treatment?"
c) The surgeon describes the risks and benefits of the surgery, being careful not to share her opinion that the surgery is the best option for long-term heart health.
d) The surgeon recognizes the patient's emotion and reflects back the understanding with a comment like, "I understand that you're scared about the surgery."

Answer 1

The behavior that would undermine the partnership between the patient and the surgeon is when the surgeon describes the risks and benefits of the surgery without sharing her opinion.

Step-by-step explanation:

The correct answer in this scenario would be c) The surgeon describes the risks and benefits of the surgery, being careful not to share her opinion that the surgery is the best option for long-term heart health. This behavior would undermine the partnership between the patient and the surgeon because it does not support the collaborative approach where the patient ultimately decides about the treatment with the support of the provider. By withholding her opinion, the surgeon is not providing the patient with all the necessary information to make an informed decision about their health.