(B) HS Unit 3: Ethical and Legal Obligations (informed consent)

Ethics and Legal Obligations

​Informed Consent

Open Ended

Imagine what it would feel like if you were in a hospital, and

someone in scrubs came into your room and just grabbed your arm to draw

blood.

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2) Informed Consent

Informed consent is the process in which a health care provider educates a patient about the risks, benefits, and alternatives of a given procedure or intervention.

Patient's Rights

Multiple Select

Why does patient need to sign a consent form?

• The patient received all the relevant information about his/her procedure from your healthcare provider.

• The patient does not understand this information.

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1. Verbal "Explicit" consent: A verbal consent is where a patient states their consent to a procedure verbally but does not sign any written form. This is adequate for routine treatment such for diagnostic procedures and prophylaxis, provided that full records are documented.

2. Written consent: A written consent is necessary in case of extensive intervention involving risks where anesthesia or sedation is used, restorative procedures, any invasive or surgical procedures, administering of medications with known high risks, and so on.

Patient's Rights

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Written Requirement:

• Most surgeries, even when they are not done in the hospital.

• Other advanced or complex medical tests and procedures. Examples are an endoscopy (placing a tube down your throat to look at the inside of your stomach) or a needle biopsy of the liver.

• Radiation or chemotherapy to treat cancer.

• Most vaccines.

• Some blood tests, such as HIV testing (need for written consent varies by countries)

Informed Consent Document

Multiple Choice

The general consent is required for

• Each emergency room visit and for each hospital admission and is valid for the duration of the patient’s hospital stay.

• For Outpatient visits, a signed consent to treat will suffice for all subsequent visits annually.

• All of the above

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Requirements:
1) All consents require a witness that is 21 years of age or older.
2) Must be signed in ink
3) Consents can be given over the telephone in certain situations

these consents require two people to listen at the same time.

Informed Consent Document

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• Individuals who cannot give informed consent include:

  • Minors (unless emancipated)

  • Mentally disabled or disturbed

  • Anyone under the influence

  • Someone who speaks a foreign language and lacks an interpreting service

Informed Consent Document

Multiple Choice

When is it acceptable to not have full informed consent due to a patient's lack of decision-making capacity?

• When the patient is a minor

• When the patient has dementia

• When the patient is asleep

• When the patient is traveling

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Disclosure: Explaining risks, benefits, alternatives.

Comprehension: Ensuring the patient understands.

Voluntariness: The patient's decision must be free of coercion.

Capacity: Ensuring the patient has the capacity to make the decision.

Informed Consent Document

Key components of informed consent

Multiple Choice

Which element involves considering other options besides the proposed intervention?

• Nature of the decision or procedure

• Reasonable alternatives to the proposed intervention

• The relevant risks, benefits, and uncertainties related to each alternative

• Assessment of patient understanding