Autonomy and Paternalistic Behaviour in Care

Abstract
The aim of the present study is to identify ethical dilemmas as experienced by hospital personnel. The dilemmas reported often focused on problems of hospitalised patients' autonomy. Tape‐recorded interviews were performed with different categories of personnel, from different care areas. One of the problems was found to be a diminishing autonomy for hospitalised patients, especially in the areas of long‐term and psychiatric care. According to the interviews the reasons for the obstacles for autonomy were due to the hospital organisation, the staff, the patients themselves and to relatives.

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