Model Consent Form – Every person should be able to make educated decisions about their medical care. Medical treatments can be quite invasive, so patients should be able to decide according to the known risks, how their bodies will be treated. Therefore, before medical workers can operate on patients, they must be given what is known as informed consent.
Informed consent constitutes a lawful condition that requires that a patient be given a complete and accurate description of his or her physical state and the recommended treatment 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 treatment is delivered. Without informed consent from the patient, a health care provider is not permitted to provide treatment.
Decision Making Capacity
In some instances patients lack the knowledge to fully comprehend their options regarding treatment, and the risks/benefits associated with each one. In other situations patients may not be able communicate their decision to health professionals. Under these circumstances, the patient is said to lack the appropriate capacity for decision-making. A family member or court-appointed representative then, is allowed to make informed consent on behalf of the patient.
Patients who are influenced by their emotions – anxiety or fear for instance are deemed not having the capacity to make decisions. The ones who are asleep clearly cannot make decisions on their independent of themselves, so outsiders must provide consent for treatment instead.
Items in an Model Consent Form
Certain elements are common to all consent forms:
The patient’s medical condition or diagnosis
The treatment that is recommended by the doctor in charge
The risks and the benefits associated with this procedure
Alternative treatments that are available, as well as their risks and benefits
The potential risks and rewards with not accepting any treatment at all
Not only must these items be documented in a written document however, they must discuss the situation with patients. In this way, he or she will fully understand the details of the situation and will receive immediate responses to any questions that be arising.
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