Consent Form Design – Everybody should be able to make educated decisions about their medical care. Medical treatments can be demanding, and therefore patients should be able decide, based on known risks and the way their bodies will be treated. Thus, before medical personnel are permitted to treat patients, they must receive what is known as informed consent.
The informed consent requirement is legal condition in which patients are provided with a full and complete description of his or her physical state and the recommended treatment by the doctor in charge. After receiving this information the patient is required to give the doctor their consent to treat prior to any form of care is provided. Without informed consent from the patient any health professional cannot offer treatments.
Decision Making Capacity
In some instances patients may not have the knowledge to fully comprehend their options in terms of treatment and the risks and benefits that come with each. In other situations patients might not be able communicate their choices to health care professionals. When this occurs the patient is said not to possess the proper capacity for decision-making. An individual from the family or court-appointed representative, will then be permitted to perform informed consent instead.
Patients who are influenced by their emotions – anxiety or fear, for instance – may be determined as not able to make decisions. Patients who are in the state of unconscious cannot make decisions on alone, and external parties need to consent to treatment instead.
Items in an Consent Form Design
Certain elements are universally included in informed consent forms:
The patient’s medical conditions/diagnosis
The treatment that is recommended by the medical professional in charge
The risks and benefits that come with this method of treatment
Alternative treatments that are offered, as are their potential risks and benefits
The benefits and risks associated with not accepting any treatment whatsoever
These items must not only be documented however, they must communicated with the person receiving the treatment. In this way, he or will be able to comprehend the details of the situation and will be able to get immediate answers to any queries that might arise.
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