Research Informed Consent Form – Every person should be able to make educated decisions about their healthcare. Medical treatments can be quite risky, therefore patients should be able decide in light of known risks, how their bodies will be treated. So, before medical professionals can treat patients, they must obtain the process of informed consent.
Informed consent is a legal requirement under which a patient is informed of his or her physical condition and the treatment suggested by the doctor in charge. After receiving this information the patient is required to sign a consent form with the doctor to treat before any form or treatment can be administered. Without the patient’s informed consent health care professional is not permitted to provide treatment.
Decision Making Capacity
In some instances patients may not have the skills to comprehend the options for treatment and the risks/benefits of each. In other instances patients might not be able convey their preferences to health professionals. In such situations, the patient is said not to have adequate decision making capacity. Family members or a court appointed representative could then be able to give informed consent in lieu of the patient.
Patients that are strongly influenced by their emotions, like anxiety or fear, for example – may be determined as lacking the ability to make decisions. The patients who are unconscious are unable to make decisions on their alone, and external parties have to give consent for treatment instead.
Items in an Research Informed Consent Form
There are certain elements that are universally included in informed consent forms:
The patient’s medical condition/diagnosis
The treatment that is recommended by the physician who is acting
The benefits and risks associated with this method of treatment
There are alternative treatments offered, as are their potential risks and benefits
The dangers and advantages with not accepting any treatment at all
These items must not only 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 all the details of the scenario and can get direct answers to any issues that may be arising.
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