Informed Consent for a procedure is a patient’s voluntary agreement to a medical treatment, given after they have been fully informed by a healthcare provider about the proposed action. This informed consent process ensures the patient understands the procedure’s risks, benefits, and alternatives, and has the capacity to make the decision and ask questions.
Key components of consent for a procedure
- Informed: The healthcare provider must explain the treatment, its potential risks and benefits, any alternatives, and the consequences of not having the treatment.
- Voluntary: The patient’s decision to consent or refuse must be their own, free from any pressure from medical staff, family, or friends.
- Capacity: The patient must be capable of understanding the information provided and using it to make an informed choice.
- Process: It is an ongoing dialogue, not just a signature on a form, allowing the patient to ask questions and even withdraw consent at any time.
What is explained during the process
- The name of the condition
- The name of the recommended procedure
- The possible risks and potential benefits of the treatment
- Additional options for care, including not undergoing the treatment