Palliative Care Consent Form – Everybody should be able to make informed decisions regarding their health. Treatments for medical conditions can be risky, therefore patients should be able decide according to the known risks that their bodies should be treated. So, before medical professionals are allowed to treat patients, they need to receive the so-called informed consent.
The informed consent requirement is legal requirement that requires that a patient be provided with a full and complete description of his or her physical health as well as the treatment that is recommended by the acting physician. After receiving this information the patient is required to be able to give the physician their consent to treat before any form of care can be given. Without informed consent from the patient, a health care provider is not permitted to provide treatments.
Decision Making Capacity
In certain situations patients may not have the capabilities to fully understand their options regarding treatment, and the potential risks and benefits associated with each. In other circumstances patients may not be able to effectively explain their decisions to health workers. Under these circumstances it is believed that the patient not to possess the proper capacity to make decisions. If a family member is not present, or court-appointed representative, will then be permitted to make informed consent on behalf of the patient.
Patients who are strongly affected by their emotions, like anxiety or fear for instance – may be determined as not possessing decision making capacity. The patients who are unconscious can’t make decisions on alone, and external parties require consent for treatment instead.
Items in an Palliative Care Consent Form
There are certain elements that are included on all informed consent forms:
The patient’s medical diagnosis/condition
The procedure recommended by the medical professional in charge
The risks and benefits that come with this treatment
Alternative treatments are readily available, as well as their risks and benefits
The benefits and risks associated with refusing treatment at all
These items must not only be recorded in the patient’s medical records, but they must also communicated with the person receiving the treatment. This way, he can be fully aware of the details of the situation and will be able to get immediate answers to any issues that may arise.
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