Your Informed Consent Form Must Describe _______ – Every person should be able to make informed decisions about their medical care. Medical procedures can be demanding, and therefore patients should be able to ultimately determine, based on known risks that their bodies should be treated. Thus, before medical personnel can provide treatment to patients they must obtain what is known as informed consent.
Informed consent constitutes a lawful requirement under which a patient has been provided with specific information regarding the physical condition as well as the treatment that is recommended by the treating physician. Once this information is received, the patient must sign a consent form with the doctor to treat prior to any form of treatment can be given. Without the patient’s informed consent health care professional cannot offer treatment.
Decision Making Capacity
In certain situations patients don’t have the capabilities to fully understand their options in terms of treatment and the risks and benefits that come with each one. In other circumstances patients might not be able communicate their choices to health workers. When this occurs, the patient is said to lack the necessary capacity for decision-making. Family members or a court-appointed representative then, is allowed to perform informed consent instead.
Patients who are influenced by their emotions, such as anxiety or fear, for example are deemed not having the capacity to make decisions. Patients who are in the state of unconscious cannot take decisions on their alone, and external parties need to consent to treatment instead.
Items in an Your Informed Consent Form Must Describe _______
Certain elements are included on all informed consent forms:
The patient’s medical conditions/diagnosis
The procedure recommended by the acting physician
The risks and advantages associated with this method of treatment
Alternative treatments are also available, as well as their risks and benefits
The dangers and advantages with refusing treatment at all
Not only must these items be documented in a written document however, they must communicated with the person receiving the treatment. This way, he she will fully understand the specifics of the situation and will be able to get immediate answers to any issues that may be arising.