title: Consent to care: assessing patient decision-making capacity.
abstract: Decision-making capacity has been described as the 'key to autonomy'. A person who is capable of making a decision about their health care must have that decision respected by a district nurse, as to proceed against the person's wishes would amount to the tort of trespass to the person and, in some cases, a criminal assault. It is essential, therefore, that district nurses are able to assess the decision-making capacity of their patients.
authors: School of Health Science, Swansea University. richard.griffth@swan.ac.uk
authors: Richard
authors: R
authors: Griffith
authors: Cassam
authors: C
authors: Tengnah
mesh_terms: D003152:Community Health Nursing; D003657:Decision Making; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D016743:Mental Competency / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D009730:Nursing Assessment / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000379:methods*; D006113:United Kingdom