Miss Lavina Choie1
1University Of Otago, Dunedin, Aotearoa / New Zealand
Biography:
Lavina enjoys learning about international healthcare systems and highlights aspects that will improve healthcare worldwide. Lavina draws the connection of clinical ethics with moral obligations in accordance with legal duties.
Abstract:
An Enduring Power of Attorney (EPOA) is to empower and protect an incapacitated person. They have been entrusted with this responsibility however, it has become clinically evident that there is a lack of awareness surrounding this moral duty. Dental clinicians witness nonchalant behaviours from EPOA’s and suddenly left with the task to inform and gain consent from an already incapacitated patient. Furthermore, a discussion emphasising the uprise of contemporary negligence such as the repercussions when EPOA’s are not present for dental treatment and in contrast how present EPOA’s are preoccupied with their mobile phones. These aspects make it difficult for informed consent to be satisfactorily achieved which is a legal requirement prior to dental treatment. The viewpoint of Aotearoa New Zealand legally requiring clinicians to comply by the Code of Health and Disability Services Consumer Rights will be discussed and the importance of gaining informed consent and if they do not, they face disciplinary action. Negligent EPOA’s and time constraints place the dental clinician in a conflicted situation of beneficence, ethical duties and legal requirements. Blasé behaviour of an EPOA is problematic because the onus of decision-making is put on the dental clinician thereby causing unnecessary stress and this could contribute to clinician burnout in an already understaffed industry. A forward- thinking initiative would be to raise awareness and education for those about to embark on an EPOA’s role and then provide measures to support and monitor them.