Consent Form To Administer Medication – Every person should be able to make informed decisions regarding their health. Medical treatments can be quite risky, therefore patients should be able to decide from the facts about risks of their body, how it will be treated. Thus, before medical professionals can provide treatment to patients they must be given the so-called informed consent.
A patient’s informed consent can be a legally binding condition where a patient is provided with a full and complete description of the condition of their body as well as the treatment that is recommended by the physician in charge. Once this information is received the patient has to give the doctor their consent to treat before any form of treatment is provided. Without informed consent from the patient the health professional is not permitted to offer treatment.
Decision Making Capacity
In some cases patients don’t have the capacity to comprehend their treatment options , as well as the benefits and risks associated with each. In other situations patients may not be able to effectively communicate their decision to health professionals. Under these circumstances it is believed that the patient not to possess the proper decision making capacity. Family members or a court-appointed representative could then be able to provide informed consent instead.
Patients who are greatly influenced by their emotions, such as anxiety or fear, for example – may be determined as lacking the ability to make decisions. Those who are unconscious clearly are unable to make decisions on their own, and outside parties must provide consent for treatment instead.
Items in an Consent Form To Administer Medication
There are certain elements that are common to all consent forms:
The diagnosis or medical condition of the patient.
The procedure recommended by the doctor in charge
The risks and advantages associated with this method of treatment
There are alternative treatments available, along with their benefits and risks
The benefits and risks associated with refusing any treatment at all
Not only must these items be recorded in the patient’s medical records However, they should also communicated with the person receiving the treatment. In this way, he or is able to fully comprehend the specifics of the situation and will receive immediate responses to any concerns that might have arisen.