title: Autonomy and care: respecting the wishes of the deceased patient.
abstract: In previous articles it has been established that a duty of care is owed to all those for whom we care, a duty not to cause harm, to continuously aim to provide the best possible care and treatment, to act at all times in the best interests of those for whom we care. This includes respecting the autonomous choices made by the person regarding the treatment of their body. Autonomy is the capacity to think, decide and act on the basis of such thought and decision, freely and independently (Gillon, 1986), in other words, deliberated self-rule.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health, London South Bank University.
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sanders
authors.forename: Suzanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fullbrook
mesh_terms: D026686:Beneficence; D001601:Bereavement; D003657:Decision Making / Q000941:ethics; D006801:Humans; D028701:Patient Rights / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D026684:Personal Autonomy