Icu Consent Form – Everybody should be able to make educated decisions about their healthcare. Medical treatments can be quite risky, therefore patients should be able decide in light of known risks and the way their bodies will be treated. Thus, before medical personnel can provide treatment to patients they must obtain the so-called informed consent.
A patient’s informed consent can be a legally binding condition that requires that a patient be given a complete and accurate description of his or her physical condition as well as the treatment that is recommended by the physician who is acting as the patient’s physician. After receiving this information the patient must be able to give the physician their consent to treat before any form or treatment can be offered. Without informed consent from the patient the health professional cannot provide treatments.
Decision Making Capacity
In some instances, patients do not possess the ability to comprehend their options regarding treatment, and the potential risks and benefits associated with each one. In other instances patients might not be able to communicate their decisions to the health workers. If this happens the patient is considered not to have adequate decision making capacity. Family members or a court-appointed representative in this case, can provide informed consent instead.
Patients who are greatly influenced by their emotions, like anxiety or fear, for example – may be determined as not able to make decisions. Patients who are in the state of unconscious cannot take decisions on their own, and outside parties require consent for treatment instead.
Items in an Icu Consent Form
Certain elements are commonly included in informed consent forms:
The patient’s medical condition/diagnosis
The treatment suggested by the physician in charge
The risks and benefits that come with this treatment
Alternative treatments are readily available, as well as their benefits and risks
The risks and benefits that come with refusing any treatment whatsoever
Not only must these items be detailed in documentation however, they must communicated with the person receiving the treatment. This way, he or will be able to comprehend what is happening and receive direct responses to any issues that may be arising.
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