Bioethics for clinicians: 3. Capacity

Table 2: Relevant areas of patient capacity specified in the Aid to Capacity Assessment[19]

• Ability to understand the medical problem.
• Ability to understand the proposed treatment.
• Ability to understand the alternatives (if any) to the proposed treatment.
• Ability to understand the option of refusing treatment or of it being withheld or withdrawn.
• Ability to appreciate the reasonably foreseeable consequences of accepting the proposed treatment.
• Ability to appreciate the reasonably foreseeable consequences of refusing the proposed treatment.
• Ability to make a decision that is not substantially based on delusions or depression.

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