Consent Form Free – Everybody should be able to make educated decisions about their healthcare. The medical procedures can be risky, therefore patients should be able, in the end, to decide the risks that are known to be present as well as their own personal preferences, how they will be treated. Therefore, before medical workers are permitted to treat patients, they need to receive what is known as informed consent.
Informed consent is a legal requirement under which a patient is provided with a full and complete description of his or her physical state and the treatment recommended by the treating physician. After receiving this information patients must give the doctor their consent to treat before any form of treatment is administered. Without the patient’s informed consent the health professional is not allowed to provide treatments.
Decision Making Capacity
In certain situations patients don’t have the knowledge to fully comprehend their options in terms of treatment and the benefits and risks associated with each one. In other circumstances patients may not be able explain their decisions to health care professionals. In these situations patients are said to lack the necessary capacity for decision-making. Family members or a court-appointed representative, could then be able to take over informed consent.
Patients who are influenced by their emotions – such as anxiety or fear, for instance are deemed not having the capacity for decision-making. People who are not conscious cannot make decisions on independent of themselves, so outsiders require consent for treatment instead.
Items in an Consent Form Free
Certain elements are commonly included in informed consent forms:
The patient’s medical condition or diagnosis
The treatment recommended by the doctor in charge
The benefits and risks associated with this treatment
There are alternative treatments available, as well as their risks and benefits
The risks and benefits that come with refusing any treatment at all
These details must not only be recorded in the patient’s medical records However, they should also communicated with the person receiving the treatment. So, he she will fully understand the particulars of the case and will receive immediate responses to any concerns that might have arisen.