Minor Parental Consent Form – Everyone should be able to make informed decisions regarding their health. Medical treatments can be quite risky, therefore patients should be able, in the end, to decide in light of known risks of their body, how it will be treated. So, before medical professionals can provide treatment to patients they have to obtain the so-called informed consent.
Informed consent is a legal condition in which patients are provided with a full and complete description of his or her physical condition and the treatment suggested by the doctor in charge. After receiving this information patients must give the doctor their consent to treat prior to any form or treatment can be delivered. Without informed consent from the patient the health professional cannot offer treatment.
Decision Making Capacity
In some instances patients may not have the ability to comprehend their options regarding treatment, and the risks/benefits of each. In other situations patients might not be able to effectively explain their decisions to health workers. If this happens the patient is said to lack the necessary capacity to make decisions. An individual from the family or court-appointed representative will then be permitted to make informed consent on behalf of the patient.
Patients who are influenced by their emotions – such as anxiety or fear, for example – may be determined as not having the capacity for decision-making. People who are not conscious can’t make decisions on own. Therefore, outside parties require consent for treatment instead.
Items in an Minor Parental Consent Form
There are certain elements that are universally included in informed consent forms:
The patient’s medical conditions/diagnosis
The procedure recommended by the physician in charge
The risks and benefits associated with this method of treatment
Alternative treatments that are offered, as are their potential risks and benefits
The dangers and advantages with accepting no treatment whatsoever
These details must not only be recorded in the documentation However, they should also have a discussion with the patient. This way, he will be able to comprehend what is happening and receive direct responses to any concerns that might have arisen.