Patient Consent Form For Research – Everybody should be able to make informed decisions about their health. Medical treatments can be injurious, and patients must be able, in the end, to decide the risks that are known to be present of their body, how it will be treated. Thus, before medical professionals can operate on patients, they must be given what is known as informed consent.
Informed consent constitutes a lawful condition that requires that a patient be provided with detailed information about the physical condition and the recommended treatment by the physician who is acting as the patient’s physician. After receiving this information patients must provide the physician with consent to treat before any form of treatment can be given. Without the patient’s informed consent any health professional is not permitted to provide treatment.
Decision Making Capacity
In some cases the patients aren’t equipped with the knowledge to fully comprehend their treatment options and the potential risks and benefits associated with each one. In other circumstances patients might not be able to communicate their decision to health professionals. In such situations, the patient is said not to possess the proper decision making capacity. Family members or a court-appointed representative in this case, can take over informed consent.
Patients who are greatly influenced by their emotions, like anxiety or fear for instance could be classified as not having the capacity for decision-making. People who are not conscious cannot make decisions on their own. Therefore, outside parties have to give consent for treatment instead.
Items in an Patient Consent Form For Research
There are certain elements that are commonly included in informed consent forms:
The patient’s medical condition or diagnosis
The treatment suggested by the acting physician
The risks and benefits that come with this method of treatment
Alternative treatments are also available, as well as their benefits and risks
The risks and benefits that come with refusing any treatment at all
Not only must these items be detailed in documentation But they also need to have a discussion with the patient. This way, he will be able to comprehend all the details of the scenario and get straight answers to any questions that be arising.