Formal Consent Form – Everyone should have the ability to make informed decisions regarding their healthcare. Medical procedures can be demanding, and therefore patients should be able to decide according to the known risks, how their bodies will be treated. Thus, before medical professionals are permitted to administer treatments to patients, they need to receive what is known as informed consent.
Informed consent is a legal condition under which a patient is provided with specific information regarding his or her physical state and the treatment suggested by the acting physician. Once this information is received patients must be able to give the physician their consent to treat prior to any form of care is offered. Without the patient’s informed consent any health professional cannot offer treatment.
Decision Making Capacity
In certain instances, patients do not possess the capabilities to fully understand their options in terms of treatment and the benefits and risks associated with each one. In some instances patients may not be able communicate their choices to health workers. In such situations the patient is considered to lack the appropriate capacity for decision-making. The family member, or court-appointed representative then, is allowed to take over informed consent.
Patients who are greatly influenced by their emotions – anxiety or fear, for example they could be judged as not having the capacity to make decisions. People who are not conscious cannot make decisions on their own, and outside parties are required to obtain consent instead.
Items in an Formal Consent Form
Certain elements are generally included in informed consent forms:
The patient’s medical diagnosis/condition
The treatment that is recommended by the acting physician
The risks and benefits that come with this treatment
Alternative treatments that are available, along with their benefits and risks
The dangers and advantages with refusing any treatment at all
These items must not only be recorded in the documentation But they also need to be discussed with the patient. In this way, he or can be fully aware of the particulars of the case and will receive immediate responses to any questions that be arising.
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