Respect for Autonomy as DisguiseRespect for Autonomy as Disguise：

Power Balance between the Nurse and the Patient in Home Care

Abstract

In this article, we will first examine what “home”means to those providing nursing care, and then we will explore the various confusion that arise when a visiting nurse takes on the caregiver role that used to be carried out by family members in private. Based on this exploration, we will see how the visiting nurses advocate for “respect for autonomy and independence,”and play the role of a guest in relation to the patient in an attempt to provide ideal care and keep the confusion minimal. We will then look at how this respect for autonomy in home care leads to complications more often than in institutions by demonstrating how this forces the visiting nurse into an ethical choice between following the wishes and decisions of the patient, or overriding those decisions by expressing authority as a specialized practitioner. What becomes apparent through this exploration is that visiting care is built on a unique power balance where the patient and the nurse play the role of host and guest, respectively, and that is the strategy to disguise many of the moral dilemmas seen in home care practices.