Questionnaire Consent Form – Everybody should be able to make informed decisions regarding their healthcare. The medical procedures can be injurious, and patients must be able to decide in light of known risks that their bodies should be treated. Thus, before medical professionals can provide treatment to patients they must be given the process of informed consent.
Informed consent constitutes a lawful requirement under which a patient is provided with specific information regarding his or her physical condition and the treatment suggested by the treating physician. Once this information is received the patient is required to be able to give the physician their consent to treat before any form of treatment can be administered. Without the patient’s informed consent the health professional is not permitted to offer treatments.
Decision Making Capacity
In certain situations patients don’t have the ability to comprehend their options in terms of treatment and the risks/benefits associated with each one. In other instances, patients may not be able to effectively communicate their choices to health professionals. When this occurs patients are said not to possess the proper capacity to make decisions. Family members or a court-appointed representative, then, is allowed to make informed consent on behalf of the patient.
Patients who are influenced by their emotions – such as anxiety or fear, for instance – may be determined as not possessing decision making capacity. The ones who are asleep clearly cannot make decisions on alone, and external parties need to consent to treatment instead.
Items in an Questionnaire Consent Form
There are certain elements that are generally included in informed consent forms:
The patient’s medical condition/diagnosis
The treatment recommended by the physician in charge
The risks and advantages associated with this method of treatment
There are alternative treatments offered, as are their risks and benefits
The risks and benefits that come with accepting no treatment whatsoever
Not only should these details be documented in a written document, but they must also be discussed with the patient. In this way, he or will be able to comprehend the details of the situation and will be able to get immediate answers to any questions that be arising.