Covid Consent Form – Every person should be able to make educated decisions about their medical care. The medical procedures can be injurious, and patients must be able decide, based on known risks, how their bodies will be treated. Thus, before medical personnel are allowed to operate on patients, they need to receive what is known as informed consent.
A patient’s informed consent can be a legally binding requirement in which patients are informed of his or her physical health and the recommended treatment by the acting physician. Once this information is received the patient has to sign a consent form with the doctor to treat prior to any form or treatment can be provided. Without the patient’s informed consent any health professional is not permitted to offer treatment.
Decision Making Capacity
In some instances patients may not have the skills to comprehend the options for treatment and the risks/benefits associated with each. In other situations, patients may not be able explain their decisions to health professionals. In such situations, the patient is said to lack the necessary capacity for decision-making. If a family member is not present, or court-appointed representative will then be permitted to take over informed consent.
Patients that are strongly influenced by their emotions, such as anxiety or fear, for example could be classified as not having the capacity to make decisions. The patients who are unconscious cannot make decisions on their alone, and external parties are required to obtain consent instead.
Items in an Covid Consent Form
There are certain elements that are universally included in informed consent forms:
The patient’s medical diagnosis/condition
The treatment recommended by the medical professional in charge
The benefits and risks associated with this procedure
Alternative treatments are available, along with their potential risks and benefits
The risks and benefits associated with refusing treatment at all
The items should not only be recorded in the patient’s medical records However, they should also communicated with the person receiving the treatment. In this way, he or will be able to comprehend the details of the situation and receive direct responses to any concerns that might have arisen.