Influenza Consent Form – Every person should be able to make informed decisions regarding their healthcare. The medical procedures can be sensitive, so patients must be able, in the end, to decide in light of known risks, how their bodies will be treated. In order to ensure that medical professionals can be able to treat their patients, they have to obtain what is known as informed consent.
Informed consent , a requirement in law is the requirement under which a patient has been informed of the condition of their body and the treatment suggested by the physician who is acting as the patient’s physician. Once this information is received the patient is required to provide the physician with consent to treat before any form of care can be offered. Without the patient’s informed consent the health professional cannot offer treatment.
Decision Making Capacity
In some instances patients lack the skills to comprehend the options for treatment and the benefits and risks associated with each. In some instances, patients may not be able to effectively explain their decisions to health care professionals. If this happens the patient is said not to have adequate capacity to make decisions. Family members or a court-appointed representative, will then be permitted to take over informed consent.
Patients who are strongly affected by their emotions such as anxiety or fear for instance they could be judged as not possessing decision making capacity. The patients who are unconscious cannot make decisions on own, and outside parties have to give consent for treatment instead.
Items in an Influenza Consent Form
There are certain elements that are generally included in informed consent forms:
The patient’s medical conditions/diagnosis
The treatment recommended by the doctor in charge
The risks and benefits that come with this procedure
Alternative treatments that are available, as well as their benefits and risks
The potential risks and rewards with accepting no treatment whatsoever
Not only must these items be recorded in the documentation, but they must also communicated with the person receiving the treatment. This way, he or will be able to comprehend the specifics of the situation and will be able to get immediate answers to any questions that have arisen.