Final answer:
The principle of autonomy states that patients have the right to make decisions about their own health care. In the absence of prior knowledge of the patient's wishes, the principle of beneficence guides healthcare professionals to make decisions that promote the best interests of the patient. Patients can also use living wills and advance directives to ensure their preferences are known and respected.
Step-by-step explanation:
Principle of autonomy: The principle of autonomy states that in clinical settings, patients have a right to exercise agency or self-determination when it comes to making decisions about their own health care. In clinical trials, participant autonomy is protected when potential participants are entered in a trial only after giving their informed consent. Informed consent means an individual is provided all the relevant information about a trial to make their own decision about whether to participate. Participant autonomy and informed consent protect participants from exploitation.
Principle of beneficence: The principle of beneficence states that we should act in ways that benefit others or that are for the good of others. When it comes to making decisions about a patient's health care, the principle of beneficence can guide healthcare professionals to make decisions that promote the best interests of the patient in the absence of prior knowledge of the patient's wishes. This means that healthcare professionals will make decisions that they believe will benefit the patient and promote their well-being.
Living will and advance directive: In order to ensure that a patient's wishes and desires are known in advance, they may choose to create a living will or advance directive. A living will is a written legal document that details specific interventions a person wants, such as whether they want to receive life-extending treatments. It can also include a health care proxy, appointing a specific person to make medical decisions for the patient if they are unable to speak for themselves. These documents provide a way for patients to express their wishes and have them respected even if they are no longer able to communicate their preferences.