Pregnancy Consent Form – Every person should be able to make informed decisions regarding their medical care. The medical procedures can be injurious, and patients must be able to decide from the facts about risks of their body, how it will be treated. So, before medical professionals can be able to treat their patients, they must be given what is known as informed consent.
Informed consent , a requirement in law is the condition where a patient is provided with detailed information about the physical condition and the treatment suggested by the physician who is acting as the patient’s physician. After receiving this information, the patient must give the doctor their consent to treat prior to any form of treatment can be administered. Without informed consent from the patient any health professional cannot provide treatments.
Decision Making Capacity
In some instances patients don’t have the ability to comprehend their options regarding treatment, and the risks/benefits of each. In other situations patients may not be able communicate their decision to health care professionals. If this happens it is believed that the patient to lack the appropriate decision making capacity. If a family member is not present, or court appointed representative in this case, can make informed consent on behalf of the patient.
Patients who are influenced by their emotions such as anxiety or fear, for example they could be judged as not having the capacity to make decisions. The patients who are unconscious cannot make decisions on own. Therefore, outside parties have to give consent for treatment instead.
Items in an Pregnancy Consent Form
Certain elements are universally included in informed consent forms:
The patient’s medical conditions/diagnosis
The treatment that is recommended by the acting physician
The risks and the benefits associated with this treatment
Alternative treatments are also offered, as are their risks and benefits
The dangers and advantages with refusing treatment whatsoever
These details must not only be documented in a written document, but they must also have a discussion with the patient. This way, he or will be able to comprehend the specifics of the situation and receive direct responses to any queries that might arise.