Notarized Consent Form – Everybody should be able to make informed decisions about their medical care. Medical procedures can be invasive, so patients should be able to decide, based on known risks, how their bodies will be treated. Thus, before medical personnel are allowed to treat patients, they have to obtain what is known as informed consent.
Informed consent , a requirement in law is the condition in which patients are provided with specific information regarding the physical condition and the recommended treatment by the physician who is acting as the patient’s physician. After receiving this information the patient must provide the physician with consent to treat before any form of care is offered. Without the patient’s informed consent health care professional cannot provide treatments.
Decision Making Capacity
In certain instances, patients do not possess the capabilities to fully understand the options for treatment and the risks/benefits of each one. In other cases, patients may not be able to effectively convey their preferences to health care professionals. In these situations patients are said not to possess the proper capacity for decision-making. A family member or court-appointed representative then, is allowed to give informed consent in lieu of the patient.
Patients who are heavily influenced by their emotions – anxiety or fear, for example they could be judged as not having the capacity to make decisions. People who are not conscious cannot make decisions on independent of themselves, so outsiders require consent for treatment instead.
Items in an Notarized Consent Form
There are certain elements that are common to all consent forms:
The patient’s medical diagnosis/condition
The recommended treatment is suggested by the doctor in charge
The risks and benefits that come with this method of treatment
There are alternative treatments available, as well as their potential risks and benefits
The risks and benefits associated with refusing any treatment at all
Not only must these items be recorded in the documentation But they also need to have a discussion with the patient. In this way, he or she will fully understand the details of the situation and receive direct responses to any queries that might be arising.
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