Temporary Guardianship Medical Consent Form – Everyone should have the ability to make informed decisions about their healthcare. Medical treatments can be invasive, so patients should be able to determine in light of known risks, how their bodies will be treated. Thus, before medical professionals can provide treatment to patients they must be given the so-called informed consent.
Informed consent constitutes a lawful condition where a patient is provided with specific information regarding his or her physical health as well as the treatment that is recommended by the physician in charge. After receiving this information patients must provide the physician with consent to treat before any form of treatment can be administered. Without the patient’s informed consent any health professional is not allowed to provide treatments.
Decision Making Capacity
In some instances patients lack the capacity to comprehend their options regarding treatment, and the risks/benefits associated with each one. In other cases, patients may not be able to communicate their choices to health care professionals. In such situations it is believed that the patient not to possess the proper decision making capacity. If a family member is not present, or court-appointed representative, can take over informed consent.
Patients who are greatly influenced by their emotions, like anxiety or fear for instance could be classified as not possessing decision making capacity. The patients who are unconscious can’t make decisions on independent of themselves, so outsiders require consent for treatment instead.
Items in an Temporary Guardianship Medical Consent Form
There are certain elements that are included on all informed consent forms:
The diagnosis or medical condition of the patient.
The recommended treatment is suggested by the doctor in charge
The risks and benefits that come with this method of treatment
Alternative treatments are readily offered, as are their potential risks and benefits
The benefits and risks associated with refusing treatment at all
Not only must these items be recorded in the patient’s medical records They must also communicated with the person receiving the treatment. This way, he is able to fully comprehend all the details of the scenario and get straight answers to any concerns that might have arisen.