Educational Consent Form – Everybody should be able to make educated decisions about their medical care. Treatments for medical conditions can be invasive, so patients should be able to decide according to the known risks that their bodies should be treated. Thus, before medical professionals can administer treatments to patients, they must obtain what is known as informed consent.
Informed consent constitutes a lawful requirement that requires that a patient be provided with a full and complete description of the condition of their body and the recommended treatment by the acting physician. Once this information is received patients must sign a consent form with the doctor to treat before any form of care is given. Without informed consent from the patient an health care professional is not permitted to offer treatments.
Decision Making Capacity
In certain situations patients don’t have the capabilities to fully understand their treatment options , as well as the risks/benefits of each. In other circumstances patients might not be able communicate their decisions to the health workers. In such situations the patient is said not to possess the proper capacity to make decisions. If a family member is not present, or court appointed representative will then be permitted to perform informed consent instead.
Patients who are strongly affected by their emotions – such as anxiety or fear, as an example are deemed not having the capacity to make decisions. People who are not conscious cannot make decisions on independently, and other people have to give consent for treatment instead.
Items in an Educational Consent Form
Certain elements are universally included in informed consent forms:
The patient’s medical condition/diagnosis
The procedure recommended by the medical professional in charge
The benefits and risks associated with this treatment
There are alternative treatments available, along with their risks and benefits
The benefits and risks associated with refusing treatment whatsoever
These details must not only be detailed in documentation However, they should also be discussed with the patient. This way, he she will fully understand the specifics of the situation and will be able to get immediate answers to any queries that might arise.