Final answer:
The Patient Care Partnership ensures that patients can expect continuity of care and exercise the principle of autonomy, which requires obtaining informed consent for participation in clinical research. Option c. is correct.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to the Patient Care Partnership (formerly the Patient's Bill of Rights), a patient has the right to expect continuity of care. This means that patients can anticipate a consistent standard of care from their healthcare providers. Patients' rights include the principle of autonomy, which encompasses the ability to make informed decisions about one's own health care. This principle is particularly pertinent when it comes to participating in clinical research, as it requires informed consent. Informed consent ensures that individuals are given all the relevant information about a trial to make an educated decision about participation, thereby protecting them from exploitation.
In contexts like clinical trials, it is critical that all the risks and benefits are clearly outlined so that study participants can give appropriate consent. The informed consent process is a fundamental ethical and legal requirement in research, and participation without informed consent would be a significant ethical violation. Consequently, the correct answer is c. To expect continuity of care, as participation in research without informed consent, as mentioned in option d, would be unethical and against the principles of the Patient Care Partnership.