Informed Consent Form Social Work – Everyone should be able to make informed decisions about their health. Medical treatments can be quite demanding, and therefore patients should be able to ultimately determine, based on known risks that their bodies should be treated. So, before medical professionals are allowed to operate on patients, they must receive what is known as informed consent.
Informed consent constitutes a lawful condition under which a patient is informed of the condition of their body and the recommended treatment by the doctor in charge. After receiving this information the patient is required to offer the physician consent to treat before any form of treatment can be delivered. Without informed consent from the patient any health professional cannot offer treatment.
Decision Making Capacity
In certain instances, patients do not possess the capacity to comprehend the options for treatment and the potential risks and benefits associated with each. In other circumstances patients may not be able communicate their decision to health care professionals. In such situations patients are said to lack the appropriate capacity to make decisions. If a family member is not present, or court-appointed representative could then be able to make informed consent on behalf of the patient.
Patients who are influenced by their emotions such as anxiety or fear for instance can be deemed to not having the capacity for decision-making. The ones who are asleep clearly cannot make decisions on their independent of themselves, so outsiders have to give consent for treatment instead.
Items in an Informed Consent Form Social Work
Certain elements are common to all consent forms:
The patient’s medical diagnosis/condition
The treatment suggested by the doctor in charge
The risks and benefits that come with this procedure
Alternative treatments that are offered, as are their potential risks and benefits
The risks and benefits that come with not accepting any treatment at all
Not only must these items be recorded in the documentation However, they should also have a discussion with the patient. So, he will be able to comprehend the specifics of the situation and get straight answers to any issues that may be arising.
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