Clinical Consent Form – Every person should be able to make educated decisions about their health. Medical procedures can be injurious, and patients must be able to decide, based on known risks that their bodies should be treated. Thus, before medical professionals can administer treatments to patients, they need to receive what is known as informed consent.
The informed consent requirement is legal requirement where a patient is given a complete and accurate description of the physical condition as well as the treatment that is recommended by the treating physician. After receiving this information the patient has to be able to give the physician their consent to treat prior to any form of treatment can be delivered. Without informed consent from the patient any health professional is not allowed to provide treatments.
Decision Making Capacity
In some instances patients don’t have the capabilities to fully understand their treatment options and the risks/benefits of each. In some instances patients might not be able convey their preferences to health workers. If this happens it is believed that the patient to lack the appropriate capacity for decision-making. If a family member is not present, or court appointed representative in this case, can give informed consent in lieu of the patient.
Patients who are strongly affected by their emotions – anxiety or fear, as an example – may be determined as lacking the ability to make decisions. Patients who are in the state of unconscious can’t make decisions on own. Therefore, outside parties have to give consent for treatment instead.
Items in an Clinical Consent Form
There are certain elements that are included on all informed consent forms:
The patient’s medical condition or diagnosis
The treatment recommended by the acting physician
The risks and benefits that come with this treatment
Alternative treatments that are available, along with their benefits and risks
The risks and benefits that come with not accepting any treatment whatsoever
These items must not only be detailed in documentation however, they must discuss the situation with patients. In this way, he or is able to fully comprehend what is happening and will receive immediate responses to any issues that may have arisen.
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