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Essay / Research Paper Abstract
A paper which considers the ethical and legal issues surrounding patient consent, with relation to proxy consent, incapacity, and the concept of the "reasonable patient". Bibliography lists 5 sources
Page Count:
4 pages (~225 words per page)
File: JL5_JLconsen.rtf
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Unformatted sample text from the term paper:
as well as practical: in an ideal situation one would anticipate that the patient is not only fully informed as to what the prospective treatment entails, but is also fully
capable of weighing up the various options and ramifications before giving consent. However, there will obviously be occasions on which this is not possible. The patient may be too young
to consent, or too ill, or suffering from a mental illness which precludes them from understanding either what is being proposed, or indeed the concept of consent itself. It is
therefore necessary to provide a structure within which ethical guidelines can be followed as far as possible, in terms of ensuring that whatever action is taken in best for the
patient. As Edwards (2003) points out, a central element of informed
consent is that it is voluntary, and one must remember that a patient is frequently in a vulnerable situation where coercion is possible: it is important that the patient understands
their own empowerment as regards decisions made about their own well-being, their own body, and their own medical care. Edwards notes, for example, that the physician should always make it
clear that the patient is taking part in a decision-making process, and not simply signing a form. In practical terms, of course, it is often the case that health care
workers are under considerable pressure as regards time constraints: there may be little opportunity to sit down with a patient and ensure that they are fully aware of all the
variables in the decision-making process.
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