Autonomy and competence in psychiatric units for acute patients Section: Ethics and Society How to quote Moreno Poyato AR, Bádenas Orts L, Suárez Pérez R. Autonomía y competencia en las unidades psiquiátricas de enfermos agudos. Metas Enferm 2013; 16(7):50-53. Authors1Antonio R. Moreno Poyato, 2Laura Bádenas Orts, 3Raquel Suárez Pérez Position 1Máster universitario en Cuidados de Enfermería: metodología y aplicaciones. Enfermero especialista en Enfermería Contact address Antonio R. Moreno Poyato. Urgencias de Psiquiatría. Centres Assistencials Emili Mira. Institut de Neuropsiquiatria i Addiccions (INAD). Parc de Salut Contact email: armorenop@parcdesalutmar.cat Abstract It is usual that patients are admitted non-voluntarily in Psychiatry Units for acute patients. This involves that it might be frequent to care for patients who refuse any care. The fact that a patient has been declared incompetent regarding his admission, does also determine that they are incompetent in terms of decisions about their care? Is this patient incompetent to decide about any kind of care? Must we always ask for their consent for any intervention? The lack of methodological tools for nurses which help to provide higher quality care for patients who don’t want any care requires a review in depth of the current state of this issue. The objective of this paper is to think about the ability to determine patient’s competence, and therefore their autonomy, when providing nursing care in a Psychiatry Unit for acute patients. Keywords: Ethics of Care; Psychiatric Nursing; therapeutic relationship Versión en Español Título: Autonomía y competencia en las unidades psiquiátricas de enfermos agudos