Pneumonia Consent Form – Everybody should be able to make educated decisions about their medical care. Treatments for medical conditions can be injurious, and patients must be able, in the end, to decide according to the known risks as well as their own personal preferences, how they will be treated. In order to ensure that medical professionals are allowed to operate on patients, they must receive what is known as informed consent.
Informed consent constitutes a lawful condition in which patients are given a complete and accurate description of his or her physical health and the treatment recommended by the physician who is acting as the patient’s physician. Once this information is received the patient must provide the physician with consent to treat prior to any form of treatment is delivered. Without the patient’s informed consent an health care professional cannot offer treatments.
Decision Making Capacity
In some instances patients may not have the capacity to comprehend their options in terms of treatment and the risks and benefits that come with each. In other circumstances patients might not be able to effectively explain their decisions to health professionals. In these situations the patient is considered to not possess adequate capacity for decision-making. An individual from the family or court-appointed representative, in this case, can perform informed consent instead.
Patients who are strongly affected by their emotions – such as anxiety or fear, as an example could be classified as not possessing decision making capacity. The ones who are asleep clearly cannot make decisions on their independently, and other people need to consent to treatment instead.
Items in an Pneumonia Consent Form
Certain elements are universally included in informed consent forms:
The patient’s medical condition or diagnosis
The treatment suggested by the acting physician
The risks and advantages associated with this treatment
There are alternative treatments available, as well as their potential risks and benefits
The risks and benefits associated with not accepting any treatment whatsoever
These details must not only be recorded in the documentation, but they must also be discussed with the patient. This way, he or can be fully aware of the particulars of the case and receive direct responses to any questions that arise.