Which best defines patient competency?

• A. An adult who cannot understand care options.
• B. 18 years old or older, and able to understand options and make a decision.
• C. Any patient can decide without understanding options.
• D. Competency is determined by the nurse's opinion.

Answer: (B)

Understanding patient competency means that a person has the capacity to understand the information presented, appreciate the consequences of choices, reason about the options, and communicate a decision. This capacity is decision-specific and can vary over time, but it underpins valid informed consent. In practice, adults who are 18 or older and can understand care options and make a decision are considered competent to consent. Competency isn’t guaranteed by age alone and isn’t determined by the nurse’s opinion; it requires assessment by the appropriate clinicians or the legal system when needed. The other statements fail because they either deny understanding, assume any patient can decide without comprehension, or rely solely on someone’s subjective view rather than a proper assessment. Therefore, the best definition is an adult 18 or older who can understand options and make a decision.