Consent Form Example – Everybody should be able to make informed decisions regarding their health. Medical treatments can be injurious, and patients must be able decide, based on known risks that their bodies should be treated. Therefore, before medical workers can administer treatments to patients, they must receive what is known as informed consent.
Informed consent is a legal requirement in which patients are informed of his or her physical condition as well as the treatment that is recommended by the physician who is acting as the patient’s physician. Once this information is received patients must give the doctor their consent to treat before any form of care is administered. Without the patient’s informed consent any health professional cannot offer treatments.
Decision Making Capacity
In some cases the patients aren’t equipped with the capabilities to fully understand their treatment options and the benefits and risks associated with each. In other cases patients may not be able to effectively convey their preferences to health professionals. Under these circumstances the patient is said to not possess adequate decision making capacity. A family member or court-appointed representative will then be permitted to take over informed consent.
Patients who are heavily influenced by their emotions – anxiety or fear, for instance – may be determined as lacking the ability to make decisions. The patients who are unconscious cannot make decisions on their own, and outside parties have to give consent for treatment instead.
Items in an Consent Form Example
Certain elements are generally included in informed consent forms:
The patient’s medical diagnosis/condition
The treatment recommended by the physician who is acting
The risks and benefits associated with this method of treatment
There are alternative treatments available, along with their benefits and risks
The potential risks and rewards of refusing treatment whatsoever
Not only should these details be recorded in the patient’s medical records But they also need to been discussed by the patient. So, he she will fully understand the particulars of the case and receive direct responses to any concerns that might arise.
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