Oral Consent Form – Everyone should have the ability to make informed choices about their health. Medical treatments can be quite sensitive, so patients must be able to decide, based on known risks that their bodies should be treated. So, before medical professionals are allowed to be able to treat their patients, they must obtain the process of informed consent.
Informed consent , a requirement in law is the condition under which a patient has been provided with specific information regarding his or her physical state as well as the treatment that is recommended by the acting physician. After receiving this information the patient has to offer the physician consent to treat before any form of care can be administered. Without informed consent from the patient an health care professional is not permitted to provide treatments.
Decision Making Capacity
In certain instances the patients aren’t equipped with the skills to comprehend their options regarding treatment, and the risks/benefits of each. In some instances, patients may not be able convey their preferences to health care professionals. In these situations it is believed that the patient to lack the necessary decision making capacity. An individual from the family or court-appointed representative can perform informed consent instead.
Patients that are strongly influenced by their emotions such as anxiety or fear, for example can be deemed to not able to make decisions. The patients who are unconscious cannot make decisions on their own, and outside parties require consent for treatment instead.
Items in an Oral Consent Form
There are certain elements that are included on all informed consent forms:
The patient’s medical diagnosis/condition
The procedure recommended by the physician in charge
The risks and benefits that come with this method of treatment
Alternative treatments are readily available, as well as their risks and benefits
The risks and benefits associated of refusing treatment at all
Not only should these details be recorded in the patient’s medical records However, they should also be discussed with the patient. This way, he can fully comprehend all the details of the scenario and get straight answers to any concerns that might have arisen.