Veterinary Anesthesia Consent Form – Everyone should be able to make informed decisions about their health. Medical treatments can be demanding, and therefore patients should be able, in the end, to decide in light of known risks, how their bodies will be treated. Therefore, before medical workers are permitted to provide treatment to patients they need to receive the so-called informed consent.
The informed consent requirement is legal condition in which patients are provided with a full and complete description of his or her physical condition and the treatment suggested by the treating physician. After receiving this information patients must sign a consent form with the doctor to treat prior to any form of care is provided. Without the patient’s informed consent, a health care provider cannot provide treatments.
Decision Making Capacity
In certain instances patients don’t have the capacity to comprehend their treatment options , as well as the risks/benefits associated with each one. In other instances, patients may not be able communicate their decision to health care professionals. Under these circumstances it is believed that the patient not to have adequate capacity to make decisions. A family member or court appointed representative then, is allowed to provide informed consent instead.
Patients who are greatly influenced by their emotions, such as anxiety or fear, for example – may be determined as lacking the ability to make decisions. Those who are unconscious clearly are unable to make decisions on their own, and outside parties require consent for treatment instead.
Items in an Veterinary Anesthesia Consent Form
There are certain elements that are included on all informed consent forms:
The diagnosis or medical condition of the patient.
The treatment that is recommended by the physician who is acting
The benefits and risks associated with this procedure
Alternative treatments are available, along with their benefits and risks
The potential risks and rewards with refusing any treatment at all
These details must not only be documented however, they must communicated with the person receiving the treatment. This way, he or will be able to comprehend the particulars of the case and can get direct answers to any questions that be arising.