User Consent Form – Everyone should have the ability to make educated decisions about their medical care. Treatments for medical conditions can be invasive, so patients should be able, in the end, to decide from the facts about risks and the way their bodies will be treated. Thus, before medical professionals are permitted to be able to treat their patients, they must receive what is known as informed consent.
The informed consent requirement is legal requirement under which a patient is given a complete and accurate description of the condition of their body and the recommended treatment by the acting physician. Once this information is received the patient must give the doctor their consent to treat before any form of treatment can be provided. Without informed consent from the patient the health professional is not allowed to provide treatment.
Decision Making Capacity
In certain situations patients lack the ability to comprehend their treatment options , as well as the potential risks and benefits associated with each. In other instances, patients may not be able to communicate their decision to health professionals. Under these circumstances the patient is said not to possess the proper decision making capacity. The family member, or court appointed representative could then be able to give informed consent in lieu of the patient.
Patients who are heavily influenced by their emotions, such as anxiety or fear for instance could be classified as lacking the ability to make decisions. The patients who are unconscious cannot take decisions on their independent of themselves, so outsiders have to give consent for treatment instead.
Items in an User Consent Form
There are certain elements that are included on all informed consent forms:
The patient’s medical condition or diagnosis
The treatment that is recommended by the doctor in charge
The risks and benefits associated with this method of treatment
Alternative treatments that are available, along with their risks and benefits
The risks and benefits associated with accepting no treatment whatsoever
Not only should these details be documented They must also communicated with the person receiving the treatment. So, he she will fully understand the particulars of the case and can get direct answers to any concerns that might have arisen.