Driver Consent Form – Every person should be able to make informed decisions regarding their healthcare. Medical treatments can be demanding, and therefore patients should be able to determine, based on known risks that their bodies should be treated. So, before medical professionals are permitted to be able to treat their patients, they need to receive the so-called informed consent.
Informed consent , a requirement in law is the requirement under which a patient is provided with detailed information about his or her physical state and the recommended treatment by the acting physician. After receiving this information the patient is required to give the doctor their consent to treat before any form of treatment is provided. Without informed consent from the patient an health care professional cannot offer treatments.
Decision Making Capacity
In certain instances the patients aren’t equipped with the knowledge to fully comprehend their options in terms of treatment and the benefits and risks associated with each one. In other instances, patients may not be able communicate their choices to health professionals. If this happens patients are said not to possess the proper capacity for decision-making. An individual from the family or court-appointed representative could then be able to give informed consent in lieu of the patient.
Patients who are strongly affected by their emotions, like anxiety or fear, for instance they could be judged as not possessing decision making capacity. The ones who are asleep clearly cannot take decisions on their own. Therefore, outside parties have to give consent for treatment instead.
Items in an Driver Consent Form
There are certain elements that are universally included in informed consent forms:
The patient’s medical conditions/diagnosis
The treatment suggested by the physician in charge
The risks and benefits associated with this method of treatment
Alternative treatments are readily offered, as are their potential risks and benefits
The potential risks and rewards with refusing treatment at all
These items must not only be documented however, they must been discussed by the patient. This way, he will be able to comprehend what is happening and get straight answers to any issues that may arise.