Consent Form For Sports Participation – Every person should be able to make informed choices about their healthcare. Medical treatments can be risky, therefore patients should be able decide in light of known risks as well as their own personal preferences, how they will be treated. Thus, before medical professionals are allowed to operate on patients, they must receive the so-called informed consent.
Informed consent is a legal requirement under which a patient has been provided with specific information regarding his or her physical state and the treatment suggested by the physician in charge. Once this information is received the patient has to give the doctor their consent to treat prior to any form of care can be administered. Without informed consent from the patient an health care professional is not allowed to provide treatments.
Decision Making Capacity
In some cases patients may not have the skills to comprehend the options for treatment and the risks/benefits of each. In other circumstances, patients may not be able to convey their preferences to health workers. In such situations patients are said not to have adequate capacity to make decisions. The family member, or court-appointed representative will then be permitted to give informed consent in lieu of the patient.
Patients who are strongly affected by their emotions such as anxiety or fear, for example – may be determined as lacking the ability to make decisions. Patients who are in the state of unconscious are unable to make decisions on their own. Therefore, outside parties are required to obtain consent instead.
Items in an Consent Form For Sports Participation
There are certain elements that are commonly included in informed consent forms:
The diagnosis or medical condition of the patient.
The treatment that is recommended by the physician in charge
The risks and benefits associated with this method of treatment
Alternative treatments are readily available, as well as their risks and benefits
The potential risks and rewards with not accepting any treatment whatsoever
Not only must these items be recorded in the patient’s medical records however, they must communicated with the person receiving the treatment. This way, he is able to fully comprehend the particulars of the case and receive direct responses to any queries that might have arisen.