Responsible Person Consent Form – Everyone should have the ability to make educated decisions about their healthcare. Medical procedures can be sensitive, so patients must be able, in the end, to decide from the facts about risks as well as their own personal preferences, how they will be treated. Thus, before medical personnel are allowed to provide treatment to patients they must be given the process of informed consent.
Informed consent , a requirement in law is the requirement in which patients are provided with detailed information about his or her physical health as well as the treatment that is recommended by the acting physician. After receiving this information the patient is required to offer the physician consent to treat prior to any form of care can be given. Without informed consent from the patient an health care professional is not allowed to provide treatment.
Decision Making Capacity
In certain situations, patients do not possess the capacity to comprehend the options for treatment and the risks/benefits of each one. In other instances, patients may not be able to communicate their decision to health workers. In such situations patients are said to lack the necessary capacity to make decisions. Family members or a court-appointed representative, in this case, can perform informed consent instead.
Patients who are heavily influenced by their emotions – anxiety or fear, for instance are deemed lacking the ability to make decisions. The patients who are unconscious cannot make decisions on independently, and other people are required to obtain consent instead.
Items in an Responsible Person Consent Form
Certain elements are included on all informed consent forms:
The patient’s medical diagnosis/condition
The treatment suggested by the doctor in charge
The risks and advantages associated with this procedure
Alternative treatments are offered, as are their potential risks and benefits
The dangers and advantages of refusing treatment whatsoever
Not only must these items be recorded in the patient’s medical records, but they must also be discussed with the patient. So, he is able to fully comprehend what is happening and will receive immediate responses to any concerns that might have arisen.
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