Pet Medical Treatment Consent Form – Everybody should be able to make educated decisions about their medical care. Medical procedures can be injurious, and patients must be able to ultimately determine in light of known risks and the way their bodies will be treated. Therefore, before medical workers can be able to treat their patients, they need to receive what is known as informed consent.
Informed consent is a legal requirement under which a patient has been given a complete and accurate description of the physical condition and the treatment recommended by the physician who is acting as the patient’s physician. Once this information is received patients must provide the physician with consent to treat before any form of treatment can be offered. Without informed consent from the patient, a health care provider cannot provide treatment.
Decision Making Capacity
In some instances patients lack the ability to comprehend their options in terms of treatment and the benefits and risks associated with each. In some instances patients may not be able to communicate their choices to health workers. In these situations the patient is considered to lack the appropriate capacity to make decisions. Family members or a court-appointed representative, will then be permitted to take over informed consent.
Patients who are heavily influenced by their emotions, such as anxiety or fear for instance can be deemed to not possessing decision making capacity. Patients who are in the state of unconscious can’t make decisions on alone, and external parties must provide consent for treatment instead.
Items in an Pet Medical Treatment Consent Form
There are certain elements that are commonly included in informed consent forms:
The patient’s medical condition or diagnosis
The treatment recommended by the physician who is acting
The risks and benefits associated with this method of treatment
There are alternative treatments available, as well as their risks and benefits
The dangers and advantages with not accepting any treatment whatsoever
The items should not only be documented in a written document However, they should also be discussed with the patient. This way, he or can be fully aware of what is happening and can get direct answers to any questions that may be arising.