Final answer:
The medical assistant should delay treatment and inform the physician if a patient refuses to consent to treatment. The patient's autonomy must be respected, and forcing treatment or consent is unethical and illegal.
Step-by-step explanation:
If a patient refuses to consent to treatment, the medical assistant should delay treatment and inform/consult the physician. It is crucial to respect the patient's autonomy and right to make decisions regarding their own healthcare. Forcing treatment or consent is both unethical and illegal. Additionally, treatment without consent could lead to allegations of battery.
The physician can then discuss the situation with the patient, offering further explanations or alternative treatments that might be more acceptable to them. Should the patient still refuse, the physician and medical staff must respect the patient's decision, unless there are exceptional circumstances like the patient being a danger to themselves or others or lacking the capacity to make an informed decision.