Consent Forms – Everyone should have the ability to make informed choices about their healthcare. Treatments for medical conditions can be sensitive, so patients must be able decide in light of known risks of their body, how it will be treated. Thus, before medical personnel are allowed to treat patients, they must receive the process of informed consent.
Informed consent constitutes a lawful requirement under which a patient is provided with specific information regarding his or her physical condition and the treatment suggested by the treating physician. Once this information is received patients must offer the physician consent to treat before any form of treatment can be offered. Without the patient’s informed consent health care professional is not permitted to offer treatments.
Decision Making Capacity
In some instances the patients aren’t equipped with the knowledge to fully comprehend their options in terms of treatment and the potential risks and benefits associated with each. In some instances patients might not be able to explain their decisions to health workers. In such situations patients are said to lack the necessary capacity to make decisions. If a family member is not present, or court appointed representative in this case, can take over informed consent.
Patients who are greatly influenced by their emotions – such as anxiety or fear for instance – may be determined as not having the capacity for decision-making. The patients who are unconscious can’t make decisions on independently, and other people must provide consent for treatment instead.
Items in an Consent Forms
Certain elements are universally included in informed consent forms:
The patient’s medical condition or diagnosis
The treatment recommended by the medical professional in charge
The risks and benefits associated with this treatment
Alternative treatments are offered, as are their potential risks and benefits
The potential risks and rewards with refusing any treatment whatsoever
Not only should these details be documented, but they must also been discussed by the patient. So, he is able to fully comprehend the specifics of the situation and can get direct answers to any queries that might be arising.
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