Therapy Informed Consent Form – Everyone should be able to make informed decisions about their medical care. Medical treatments can be risky, therefore patients should be able to decide according to the known risks that their bodies should be treated. In order to ensure that medical professionals are allowed to administer treatments to patients, they must obtain the so-called informed consent.
Informed consent , a requirement in law is the requirement that requires that a patient be provided with detailed information about the physical condition and the treatment recommended by the acting physician. Once this information is received the patient has to sign a consent form with the doctor to treat before any form of treatment is administered. Without the patient’s informed consent the health professional cannot provide treatments.
Decision Making Capacity
In certain situations the patients aren’t equipped with the knowledge to fully comprehend the options for treatment and the risks/benefits associated with each one. In other situations, patients may not be able to communicate their decisions to the health workers. When this occurs the patient is considered to not possess adequate capacity for decision-making. A family member or court-appointed representative will then be permitted to take over informed consent.
Patients who are influenced by their emotions – anxiety or fear for instance can be deemed to lacking the ability to make decisions. Patients who are in the state of unconscious can’t make decisions on own. Therefore, outside parties are required to obtain consent instead.
Items in an Therapy Informed Consent Form
There are certain elements that are commonly included in informed consent forms:
The patient’s medical conditions/diagnosis
The treatment recommended by the doctor in charge
The risks and benefits that come with this treatment
There are alternative treatments available, along with their risks and benefits
The dangers and advantages of refusing treatment at all
These items must not only be detailed in documentation However, they should also discuss the situation with patients. This way, he will be able to comprehend all the details of the scenario and can get direct answers to any questions that have arisen.