Sample Informed Consent Form Counseling – Everyone should be able to make informed decisions about their healthcare. Medical treatments can be demanding, and therefore patients should be able to determine in light of known risks of their body, how it will be treated. So, before medical professionals can be able to treat their patients, they have to obtain the so-called informed consent.
Informed consent is a legal condition under which a patient is provided with detailed information about his or her physical state as well as the treatment that is recommended by the treating physician. Once this information is received the patient is required to sign a consent form with the doctor to treat before any form or treatment can be provided. Without informed consent from the patient, a health care provider is not allowed to provide treatment.
Decision Making Capacity
In certain situations patients don’t have the skills to comprehend their treatment options and the benefits and risks associated with each one. In other cases patients might not be able to communicate their choices to health care professionals. In these situations it is believed that the patient to not possess adequate capacity to make decisions. If a family member is not present, or court-appointed representative, in this case, can give informed consent in lieu of the patient.
Patients who are influenced by their emotions such as anxiety or fear, for example are deemed lacking the ability to make decisions. The ones who are asleep clearly are unable to make decisions on their independently, and other people have to give consent for treatment instead.
Items in an Sample Informed Consent Form Counseling
There are certain elements that are common to all consent forms:
The diagnosis or medical condition of the patient.
The treatment suggested by the doctor in charge
The risks and benefits associated with this procedure
Alternative treatments are available, along with their risks and benefits
The dangers and advantages with refusing treatment whatsoever
The items should not only be detailed in documentation, but they must also been discussed by the patient. In this way, he or is able to fully comprehend all the details of the scenario and receive direct responses to any queries that might arise.