Research Participant Consent Form – Every person should be able to make educated decisions about their healthcare. Medical procedures can be injurious, and patients must be able to decide according to the known risks of their body, how it will be treated. In order to ensure that medical professionals can treat patients, they must obtain the so-called informed consent.
Informed consent constitutes a lawful requirement under which a patient is given a complete and accurate description of his or her physical condition as well as the treatment that is recommended by the doctor in charge. After receiving this information patients must be able to give the physician their consent to treat prior to any form of treatment is delivered. Without the patient’s informed consent an health care professional is not allowed to provide treatment.
Decision Making Capacity
In some cases, patients do not possess the knowledge to fully comprehend their options in terms of treatment and the potential risks and benefits associated with each one. In some instances patients may not be able to effectively communicate their decisions to the health care professionals. Under these circumstances it is believed that the patient to lack the appropriate capacity for decision-making. A family member or court-appointed representative in this case, can give informed consent in lieu of the patient.
Patients that are strongly influenced by their emotions, like anxiety or fear, for instance – may be determined as not having the capacity to make decisions. Those who are unconscious clearly are unable to make decisions on their independent of themselves, so outsiders need to consent to treatment instead.
Items in an Research Participant Consent Form
There are certain elements that are generally included in informed consent forms:
The diagnosis or medical condition of the patient.
The treatment suggested by the doctor in charge
The benefits and risks associated with this treatment
Alternative treatments are readily offered, as are their potential risks and benefits
The benefits and risks associated with refusing treatment at all
These details must not only be documented in a written document however, they must discuss the situation with patients. In this way, he or will be able to comprehend the specifics of the situation and receive direct responses to any questions that may arise.
Download Research Participant Consent Form
Gallery of Research Participant Consent Form
