Blanket Consent Form – Everyone should have the ability to make informed decisions about their medical care. The medical procedures can be demanding, and therefore patients should be able to ultimately determine the risks that are known to be present that their bodies should be treated. In order to ensure that medical professionals are allowed to treat patients, they must obtain what is known as informed consent.
A patient’s informed consent can be a legally binding condition under which a patient is provided with a full and complete description of his or her physical health as well as the treatment that is recommended by the doctor in charge. After receiving this information the patient is required to provide the physician with consent to treat prior to any form of treatment is given. Without informed consent from the patient the health professional is not allowed to provide treatment.
Decision Making Capacity
In some instances patients lack the skills to comprehend their treatment options and the risks/benefits associated with each. In other cases patients may not be able to effectively communicate their choices to health care professionals. In such situations, the patient is said to lack the necessary capacity for decision-making. The family member, or court-appointed representative in this case, can give informed consent in lieu of the patient.
Patients who are influenced by their emotions such as anxiety or fear, for example they could be judged as not possessing decision making capacity. Patients who are in the state of unconscious are unable to make decisions on their independent of themselves, so outsiders must provide consent for treatment instead.
Items in an Blanket Consent Form
Certain elements are common to all consent forms:
The patient’s medical condition/diagnosis
The treatment suggested by the physician in charge
The risks and advantages associated with this method of treatment
Alternative treatments are offered, as are their benefits and risks
The risks and benefits associated with accepting no treatment at all
These details must not only be documented, but they must also discuss the situation with patients. This way, he can be fully aware of all the details of the scenario and can get direct answers to any questions that may arise.
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