Minor Passport Consent Form – Everyone should have the ability to make informed choices about their health. Medical procedures can be injurious, and patients must be able to decide, based on known risks as well as their own personal preferences, how they will be treated. Therefore, before medical workers can treat patients, they need to receive what is known as informed consent.
Informed consent , a requirement in law is the requirement where a patient is informed of the condition of their body and the treatment suggested by the treating physician. Once this information is received the patient is required to give the doctor their consent to treat before any form of care is administered. Without the patient’s informed consent an health care professional cannot provide treatments.
Decision Making Capacity
In certain instances patients don’t have the capacity to comprehend their options in terms of treatment and the risks/benefits of each. In other situations patients might not be able to communicate their choices to health workers. When this occurs the patient is considered to lack the appropriate decision making capacity. An individual from the family or court appointed representative can take over informed consent.
Patients who are influenced by their emotions – such as anxiety or fear, as an example – may be determined as not possessing decision making capacity. Patients who are in the state of unconscious are unable to make decisions on their independently, and other people require consent for treatment instead.
Items in an Minor Passport Consent Form
There are certain elements that are common to all consent forms:
The patient’s medical diagnosis/condition
The treatment suggested by the acting physician
The risks and the benefits associated with this method of treatment
Alternative treatments are also offered, as are their potential risks and benefits
The benefits and risks associated of refusing treatment whatsoever
Not only must these items be detailed in documentation, but they must also discuss the situation with patients. This way, he or can be fully aware of the details of the situation and receive direct responses to any questions that may arise.