24 Hour Consent Form – Everyone should be able to make educated decisions about their healthcare. Medical treatments can be sensitive, so patients must be able, in the end, to decide in light of known risks as well as their own personal preferences, how they will be treated. In order to ensure that medical professionals can operate on patients, they have to obtain the process of informed consent.
A patient’s informed consent can be a legally binding requirement in which patients are provided with specific information regarding the physical condition and the treatment suggested by the physician in charge. Once this information is received the patient is required to sign a consent form with the doctor to treat before any form of treatment is offered. Without informed consent from the patient the health professional cannot provide treatment.
Decision Making Capacity
In some instances patients don’t have the skills to comprehend their options in terms of treatment and the benefits and risks associated with each one. In other situations patients might not be able to convey their preferences to health professionals. In such situations, the patient is said not to possess the proper capacity for decision-making. If a family member is not present, or court-appointed representative, will then be permitted to provide informed consent instead.
Patients who are influenced by their emotions such as anxiety or fear for instance they could be judged as not having the capacity for decision-making. Patients who are in the state of unconscious cannot take decisions on their alone, and external parties must provide consent for treatment instead.
Items in an 24 Hour Consent Form
Certain elements are generally included in informed consent forms:
The patient’s medical diagnosis/condition
The treatment suggested by the doctor in charge
The risks and advantages associated with this procedure
Alternative treatments are available, along with their benefits and risks
The dangers and advantages with accepting no treatment at all
The items should not only be documented They must also discuss the situation with patients. In this way, he or she will fully understand the details of the situation and can get direct answers to any questions that may have arisen.