title: Informed consent and issues surrounding lack of capacity vs. incompetence.
abstract: Hospital personnel are often challenged to manage circumstances surrounding a patient's lack of capacity, incompetence, and advance directives. These situations result in undue stress to staff and can be somewhat alleviated by having clear communication on policy and law that affect decision-making processes.
authors.affiliation: Central Maine Healthcare, Lewiston, ME, USA. benaklyn@cmhc.org
authors.forename: Lynda D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Benak
authors.forename: Sue
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Applegate
mesh_terms: D016223:Advance Directives; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D016743:Mental Competency / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*