Emergency Contact Parental Consent Form – Everyone should be able to make educated decisions about their health. Treatments for medical conditions can be injurious, and patients must be able to ultimately determine from the facts about risks of their body, how it will be treated. So, before medical professionals are allowed to administer treatments to patients, they must receive the process of informed consent.
Informed consent is a legal requirement where a patient is provided with specific information regarding the condition of their body and the treatment recommended by the doctor in charge. After receiving this information the patient must provide the physician with consent to treat before any form of care can be administered. Without informed consent from the patient any health professional cannot provide treatments.
Decision Making Capacity
In some cases patients lack the ability to comprehend their options in terms of treatment and the risks and benefits that come with each. In other situations patients might not be able to effectively explain their decisions to health care professionals. In such situations the patient is said to not possess adequate decision making capacity. An individual from the family or court appointed representative could then be able to provide informed consent instead.
Patients who are influenced by their emotions – such as anxiety or fear, as an example they could be judged as lacking the ability to make decisions. The ones who are asleep clearly cannot take decisions on their own. Therefore, outside parties are required to obtain consent instead.
Items in an Emergency Contact Parental Consent Form
There are certain elements that are included on all informed consent forms:
The patient’s medical condition/diagnosis
The treatment recommended by the physician who is acting
The benefits and risks associated with this method of treatment
Alternative treatments are offered, as are their benefits and risks
The risks and benefits associated with refusing treatment whatsoever
These items must not only be recorded in the patient’s medical records, but they must also been discussed by the patient. This way, he or can fully comprehend the details of the situation and receive direct responses to any questions that may arise.