Competency
Competency
Competency (pronounced /ˈkɒmpɪtənsi/) is a term used in various fields, including medicine, psychology, and law, to refer to a person's ability or capacity to perform a task or function. The term is derived from the Latin word "competentia", meaning "meeting together, agreement, symmetry".
Definition
In a medical context, competency refers to a patient's ability to understand and make decisions about their own healthcare. This includes the ability to understand information about their condition and treatment options, weigh the risks and benefits of different options, communicate their decisions to healthcare providers, and understand the potential consequences of their decisions.
Assessment
Assessment of competency in a medical context is often performed by healthcare professionals such as psychiatrists or neurologists, who use a variety of tools and techniques to evaluate a patient's cognitive functioning, decision-making capacity, and understanding of their medical situation.
Related Terms
- Capacity: In a legal context, capacity refers to a person's legal ability to make decisions for themselves. This is closely related to the concept of competency in medicine.
- Informed Consent: This is a process in which a healthcare provider explains a medical procedure to a patient, who then has the opportunity to ask questions and make an informed decision about whether to proceed.
- Mental Health: This is a broad term that refers to a person's emotional, psychological, and social well-being. Mental health can affect a person's competency to make decisions about their healthcare.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Competency
- Wikipedia's article - Competency
This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski