Grandparent Medical Consent Form – Everyone should be able to make informed decisions about their health. Medical treatments can be injurious, and patients must be able to ultimately determine in light of known risks as well as their own personal preferences, how they will be treated. Therefore, before medical workers can administer treatments to patients, they must obtain the so-called informed consent.
Informed consent , a requirement in law is the condition that requires that a patient be provided with detailed information about his or her physical state as well as the treatment that is recommended by the treating physician. After receiving this information, the patient must be able to give the physician their consent to treat prior to any form of care is administered. Without informed consent from the patient an health care professional cannot offer treatments.
Decision Making Capacity
In certain instances, patients do not possess the capabilities to fully understand their options regarding treatment, and the risks/benefits associated with each one. In other cases patients may not be able to effectively communicate their decision to health professionals. When this occurs, the patient is said not to have adequate capacity to make decisions. If a family member is not present, or court-appointed representative then, is allowed to perform informed consent instead.
Patients who are heavily influenced by their emotions – anxiety or fear for instance could be classified as not able to make decisions. The ones who are asleep clearly cannot take decisions on their own, and outside parties must provide consent for treatment instead.
Items in an Grandparent Medical Consent Form
Certain elements are universally included in informed consent forms:
The diagnosis or medical condition of the patient.
The treatment suggested by the medical professional in charge
The risks and benefits associated with this procedure
Alternative treatments are offered, as are their benefits and risks
The risks and benefits that come with not accepting any treatment whatsoever
Not only must these items be recorded in the documentation, but they must also have a discussion with the patient. This way, he can fully comprehend the particulars of the case and will receive immediate responses to any issues that may have arisen.