Forms Of Consent – Everyone should have the ability to make informed choices about their health. Medical treatments can be risky, therefore patients should be able to decide, based on known risks and the way their bodies will be treated. Therefore, before medical workers are allowed to treat patients, they need to receive the process of informed consent.
Informed consent is a legal requirement that requires that a patient be provided with detailed information about the condition of their body and the recommended treatment by the physician in charge. After receiving this information patients must sign a consent form with the doctor to treat prior to any form of care is delivered. Without the patient’s informed consent an health care professional cannot provide treatments.
Decision Making Capacity
In certain instances patients don’t have the capabilities to fully understand the options for treatment and the potential risks and benefits associated with each. In other cases, patients may not be able to effectively communicate their choices to health professionals. In these situations, the patient is said to lack the necessary capacity for decision-making. Family members or a court appointed representative could then be able to make informed consent on behalf of the patient.
Patients who are greatly influenced by their emotions such as anxiety or fear, as an example are deemed lacking the ability to make decisions. Those who are unconscious clearly are unable to make decisions on their own. Therefore, outside parties are required to obtain consent instead.
Items in an Forms Of Consent
There are certain elements that are generally included in informed consent forms:
The patient’s medical diagnosis/condition
The treatment that is recommended by the physician in charge
The risks and benefits that come with this procedure
Alternative treatments are also available, as well as their risks and benefits
The benefits and risks associated with refusing any treatment at all
Not only must these items be documented in a written document, but they must also be discussed with the patient. In this way, he or is able to fully comprehend the details of the situation and will be able to get immediate answers to any concerns that might have arisen.
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