Parent Consent Travel Form – Everyone should be able to make informed decisions regarding their health. Treatments for medical conditions can be risky, therefore patients should be able decide, based on known risks, how their bodies will be treated. In order to ensure that medical professionals are permitted to provide treatment to patients they must receive the so-called informed consent.
The informed consent requirement is legal requirement that requires that a patient be informed of his or her physical condition as well as the treatment that is recommended by the physician who is acting as the patient’s physician. Once this information is received patients must sign a consent form with the doctor to treat prior to any form of care is provided. Without informed consent from the patient health care professional is not permitted to offer treatments.
Decision Making Capacity
In certain instances patients don’t have the capacity to comprehend their options regarding treatment, and the risks/benefits associated with each one. In some instances patients may not be able to effectively communicate their decisions to the health workers. When this occurs the patient is considered to not possess adequate decision making capacity. If a family member is not present, or court appointed representative in this case, can perform informed consent instead.
Patients who are greatly influenced by their emotions – anxiety or fear, as an example – may be determined as not having the capacity to make decisions. The patients who are unconscious cannot make decisions on own, and outside parties must provide consent for treatment instead.
Items in an Parent Consent Travel Form
There are certain elements that are universally included in informed consent forms:
The diagnosis or medical condition of the patient.
The procedure recommended by the doctor in charge
The risks and benefits associated with this procedure
Alternative treatments are also available, along with their potential risks and benefits
The risks and benefits associated with accepting no treatment whatsoever
Not only must these items be documented however, they must have a discussion with the patient. This way, he can fully comprehend all the details of the scenario and will receive immediate responses to any queries that might be arising.