Question

Discuss a patient's right to an informed consent by reflecting on a time when you or a family member were asked to provide consent for a procedure (i.e., consent for a surgical procedure, consent for a diagnostic procedure, consent for vaccination, or consent for a dental procedure). Based on the facts surrounding the event and what you’ve learned regarding informed consent, explain why you believe the consent was or was not a proper consent.

Describe how the information you received did or did not meet the standards of informed consent.

Describe the measures taken by the health care providers working with you or your family member to ensure that you were fully informed.

What more could have been done to ensure informed consent was achieved?

Answer 1

Informed consent is a process of understanding the risks and benefits of a treatment procedure or a diagnostic test before undergoing the procedure.

I had a personal experience of providing consent while undergoing a dental procedure.

I remember the consent being taken by the dentist who was supposed to perform the procedure. She explained the risks involved in the procedure and asked me to sign a form providing my consent. In this case, though the dentiist explained the possible risks involved in the procedure, she did not discuss the procedure. I was left with many doubts regarding the procedure which I clarified with her later. Ideally, informed consent can be taken after providing the complete information regarding the procedure, risks and benefits, while I was explained about the risks, the procedure was not explained, hence not meeting the standards of informed consent.

The dentist had taken all steps to explain the risks involved in the procedure, and had allowed me time to consider giving my consent thus ensuring that my consent was voluntary and not coerced. She also expalined the terms which I may not understand. The only drawback being not explaining the procedure. Thus,the informed consent could have been complete if adequate information was provided.