Employee Drug Screening Consent Form – Everyone should be able to make informed decisions about their health. Medical treatments can be injurious, and patients must be able decide according to the known risks as well as their own personal preferences, how they will be treated. Thus, before medical professionals are allowed to treat patients, they have to obtain what is known as informed consent.
The informed consent requirement is legal requirement that requires that a patient be given a complete and accurate description of his or her physical condition and the treatment recommended by the acting physician. Once this information is received the patient is required to give the doctor their consent to treat prior to any form of care is provided. Without the patient’s informed consent an health care professional is not allowed to provide treatments.
Decision Making Capacity
In certain instances patients don’t have the ability to comprehend their treatment options and the risks/benefits of each. In other cases, patients may not be able to effectively communicate their choices to health care professionals. In these situations the patient is said to lack the necessary capacity for decision-making. A family member or court-appointed representative, in this case, can give informed consent in lieu of the patient.
Patients that are strongly influenced by their emotions, like anxiety or fear, as an example are deemed lacking the ability to make decisions. The patients who are unconscious can’t make decisions on own, and outside parties must provide consent for treatment instead.
Items in an Employee Drug Screening Consent Form
Certain elements are included on all informed consent forms:
The patient’s medical conditions/diagnosis
The procedure recommended by the medical professional in charge
The risks and the benefits associated with this method of treatment
There are alternative treatments available, as well as their benefits and risks
The potential risks and rewards with accepting no treatment at all
These details must not only be recorded in the patient’s medical records However, they should also be discussed with the patient. This way, he can be fully aware of what is happening and get straight answers to any queries that might arise.