Question

Dr. Smith is obtaining informed consent from Mr. Jones to perform a colonoscopy, because the patient had blood in his stool and Dr. Smith is concerned that this might indicate the presence of carcinoma of the colon. Mr. Jones is able to recite back to Dr. Smith what a colonoscopy is, how it is done, and that a colonoscopy is performed to look for cancer. He then tells Dr. Smith that he is refusing the procedure because he knows he does not have cancer because he has not experienced any bleeding. Of the following required elements for Mr. Jones's decision-making capacity, which is impaired?

1) Understanding
2) Appreciation
3) Ability to express a choice

Answer 1

The impaired element of Mr. Jones's decision-making capacity is Appreciation. Mr. Jones lacks appreciation for the fact that colonoscopy is not solely used to detect cancer, but also to identify and remove precancerous polyps.

Step-by-step explanation:

The impaired element of Mr. Jones's decision-making capacity is Appreciation. Appreciation refers to the patient's ability to understand the consequences and significance of the information provided to them. In this case, Mr. Jones is refusing the colonoscopy because he believes he does not have cancer due to the absence of bleeding. This shows a lack of appreciation for the fact that colonoscopy is not solely used to detect cancer, but also to identify and remove precancerous polyps. His understanding and ability to express a choice are not impaired based on the information provided.