Social Work Consent Form Template – Everybody should be able to make informed decisions about their health. Medical procedures can be demanding, and therefore patients should be able decide in light of known risks and the way their bodies will be treated. So, before medical professionals are allowed to be able to treat their patients, they must be given the so-called informed consent.
Informed consent , a requirement in law is the requirement where a patient is provided with specific information regarding his or her physical state and the recommended treatment by the doctor in charge. After receiving this information, the patient must sign a consent form with the doctor to treat prior to any form of care can be delivered. Without informed consent from the patient an health care professional is not permitted to provide treatment.
Decision Making Capacity
In certain situations the patients aren’t equipped with the ability to comprehend their options in terms of treatment and the risks and benefits that come with each one. In other circumstances, patients may not be able to effectively communicate their choices to health professionals. Under these circumstances, the patient is said to lack the appropriate capacity for decision-making. An individual from the family or court appointed representative can take over informed consent.
Patients who are greatly influenced by their emotions – such as anxiety or fear, for instance are deemed not possessing decision making capacity. People who are not conscious cannot take decisions on their own, and outside parties need to consent to treatment instead.
Items in an Social Work Consent Form Template
Certain elements are generally included in informed consent forms:
The patient’s medical condition/diagnosis
The procedure recommended by the acting physician
The risks and advantages associated with this procedure
Alternative treatments that are available, along with their potential risks and benefits
The dangers and advantages with accepting no treatment whatsoever
These details must not only be detailed in documentation, but they must also communicated with the person receiving the treatment. This way, he or is able to fully comprehend all the details of the scenario and will be able to get immediate answers to any concerns that might be arising.